The 130-year-old country pub was destroyed in June 2021 after being struck by lightning during a summer storm. The fire gutted the building and left the structure unsafe, leading to its demolition weeks later.
Developer and farmer Mark Stoneham, director of Alchemy Estates, secured planning permission in April this year to rebuild the pub on its original site, with an updated design featuring rooms for accommodation.
‘40% rise in construction costs’
However, Stoneham has now confirmed that the site will be put up for sale, due to a 40% rise in construction costs and increased operating expenses.
“My intention was to rebuild the pub and keep it as an investment by renting it to someone who would create a nice community pub,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the build costs have ballooned, and operating costs of staff, national insurance, rates and compliance have increased to a point where the pub is commercially unviable. Pub rents have also reduced, so we are faced with a perfect storm.”
He added that he had attempted to renegotiate the purchase cost to save the scheme but was unable to agree revised terms. “I’ve been forced to abandon the dream at great personal and financial cost,” he said.
The site had long been considered the “heart of the community” before the blaze. More than 100 residents formed The Green Man Recovery Group, raising funds and campaigning to secure the pub’s future.
Following confirmation of the planned sale, the community group has submitted an intention to bid for the site under the Asset of Community Value (ACV) process.
Group spokesperson Sally Samuels said: “The Green Man has always been at the heart of our community. We know how much its loss has been felt, and this is our chance to bring it back together. We want to rebuild something truly special for the village’s future.”
Under the ACV moratorium rules, the current owners cannot sell the property on the open market until March 2026, allowing the community group time to develop a formal bid.
‘Lost everything’
The pub’s original landlord, Alex Brooks, previously told KentOnline that he “lost everything” in the 2021 blaze and described The Green Man as “a focal part of village life.”
The site remains derelict more than four years on from the fire, but the approved design and planning consent remain in place - offering a potential foundation for future redevelopment, whether by a community group or private buyer.
