Over the weekend, the Ivy House Community Pub celebrated the official reopening of The Ivy House garden. This follows work to improve the outdoor area, providing increased space for the pub’s diverse and exciting programme of live events and community activities. The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is pleased to share that it was able to help support this work through the Thrive Together Fund.
Images: The ribbon cutting ceremony at the reopening of The Ivy House garden (left) and people enjoying the improved outdoor space (right). Photos courtesy of Ivy House Community Pub.
The £6m Thrive Together Fund, which is currently closed to new applications, is managed by Social Investment Business and delivered in partnership with Co-operative and Community Finance, Fredericks Foundation, Groundwork, Homeless Link and the AHF. It combines grant funding with repayable finance, providing a funding package of loan (75%) and grant (25%) to eligible small and medium-sized charities and social enterprises in England that are looking to grow or diversify their business models.
Designed by AE Sewell for Truman’s brewery in the 1930s, The Ivy House in Southwark, London, was originally called the Newlands Tavern. It later became The Stuart Arms in the 1980s and has operated as The Ivy House since the 1990s.
In 2013, a group of residents and locals came together to take ownership of the Grade II listed public house and save it from impending demolition and redevelopment.
Today, The Ivy House Community Pub stands as London’s first co-operative pub and community hub. It serves as a destination for live music, performance art, and food and beverages, and also hosts an inclusive programme of community activities designed to cater to all age groups and abilities. This includes an after-school drama club, a weekly pub quiz, parents and baby musical sessions, yoga classes, writing workshops, and book and craft clubs. Additionally, in partnership with South London Cares - an elderly outreach charity - it supports vulnerable community members through initiatives such as a warm bank, a community library, and board game evenings.
The AHF has supported Ivy House Community Pub since 2012, awarding an initial £360,000 loan for the acquisition of the property, as well as a further £190,000 loan for working capital. It has also benefitted from AHF grant support, receiving a Community Shares Booster Grant and a Cultural Recovery Grant.
New investment, provided through the Thrive Together Fund, has contributed towards work to enhance the safety, usability, and appearance of The Ivy House’s garden. This includes the installation of an all-weather awning to better manage customer flow and increase year-round capacity.
Overall, these improvements have helped to expand the trading space within the building, thereby increasing revenue potential for the organisation and further strengthening the resilience of this thriving community pub.
Image: The newly improved and reopened garden at The Ivy House. Photo courtesy of Ivy House Community Pub.
The Thrive Together Fund is currently closed to new applications. However, the AHF offers a range of funding options, including grants and tailored loan finance, with competitive terms, to support not-for-profit organisations working on or based in historic buildings across the UK. Our funding helps organisations bring heritage buildings back into sustainable use, supporting regeneration, community benefit and long-term resilience. To find out how we can support your project, submit an enquiry today.
