In 2022 the Champ was threatened with closure after several loss-making years. A group of local businessmen and fans of the Champ took on its lease and brought in new management,. Since then the Champ has gone from strength to strength, initially under Sam Roach’s management and now guided by Adrian Bridges’ steady hands. It is hosting more music events than ever and was at the centre of the hugely successful Appledore Music Festival.
The owner of the pub’s freehold, John Tompkins, sadly died at the end of 2023 and since then there has been a question mark over what would happen to the freehold and what the new owners would do with the pub. John’s family put the pub on the market in July 2024 and a buyer was quickly found. The buyer turned out to be a local estate agent who has assured the management that the Champ can continue in its present form.
After the social club closed down in 2023 it would have been a tragedy for Appledore if the Champ had been turned into a wine bar or restaurant, as has happened with former music venues the Royal George and the Coach and Horses (now the Yard). Fortunately we can continue to enjoy its quirky atmosphere and wide range of live music for many years to come.
