Aylesbury Vale pub saved as nearby bar takes over after long-running campaign
A pub in Aylesbury Vale has been saved from closure after a nearby bar announced it will take over the running of the venue.
The Unicorn in Cublington will reopen, it was announced on social media yesterday. The Five Elms in Weedon confirmed its team will be running the pub which was first opened over 300 years ago.
Thousands backed a campaign to save Cublington’s only pub from closure after it shut its doors in 2024. An £800,000 asking price was set for the 17th century property and through pledges Save the Unicorn group was able to raise substantial funds to purchase the bar but did not meet the eye-watering total.
However, the pub was sold earlier this year with The Five Elms now in control of the highly valued community pub. The Five Elms said in a statement yesterday: “We are very excited to announce that we now have the keys to The Unicorn in Cublington. It will be joining the Five Elms as our sister pub!
“Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere at the Five Elms. We’ll be continuing everything we do here. Work is already underway to bring life back to this beautiful pub and we cannot wait to show you all when it’s finished.”
A reopening date has not been announced; the Save the Unicorn group had previously hoped the bar might be ready by November. The group also said it was “so excited” to be returning to the village’s much-cherished pub.
Aylesbury MP Laura-Kyrke Smith had previously asked for Government support in securing the future of the bar. She said in Parliament: “This isn’t just about saving a pub. It’s about preserving a vital part of our heritage and community, a place where neighbours gather, stories are shared, and the spirit of the village comes alive.”
Over 100 residents attended previous meetings discussing ways the village could purchase the pub. Parish councillors were among the people trying to salvage the community asset during the two-year campaign.
Save the Unicorn supporters were told their pledges were no longer needed and details of who and what was agreed would be removed from the campaign website.