Aldegarden is a wonderful site in Suffolk, with accommodation, a community-minded pub, and a ‘glamping’ site with yurts, timber structures, a cob roundhouse, gypsy caravan and a converted barn, communal areas, solar hot water and electricity and compost loos. They’ve been in our directory for years. But now owner Marie Smith and partner are moving on, and looking for new owners for the property and successful businesses.

Over to Marie:

14 years ago we had a dream. We bought a derelict pub and overgrown beer garden and set about turning that dream into a reality.

Alde Garden campsite opened in 2010 – a tiny wildlife garden with a handful of tent pitches and a small collection of handmade rustic glamping options. In 2011 we re-opened The Sweffling White Horse – a small 2-room traditional alehouse with a strong focus on community and locally sourced ales. 

Our journey has been a wonderful one – the businesses have given us so much more than just food on the table and a roof over our heads. Both have won a multitude of environmental awards, and the pub is a favourite of CAMRA – having been awarded the local branch Pub of the Year 5 times, the overall Suffolk POTY twice, and East Anglian POTY once.

A few months ago we began getting the feeling that it was time for us to move on – other things now need our attention – and so we are now searching for the right people to take it on.

The businesses’ environmental and community ethics are at the core of all aspects, and both businesses have been run from the heart as a delightful lifestyle. Both come with a huge amount of goodwill & good reviews – 2 in every 5 guests in the campsite are returners, and the pub has a lovely bunch of devoted regulars filling the air with gentle humour and good vibes.

Both businesses have a great deal of scope for change which could improve profits without negatively impacting the customer experience – should new owners desire – but we have always had our needs met and therefore have not felt the urge to explore these avenues ourselves.

The site also includes owners’ accommodation, 2 self-contained flats, a 4* holiday cottage and a 6m cob, cordwood & straw bale roundhouse. The roundhouse is ready for new owners to apply the finishing touches- and could be put to a variety of uses. Our plan was to create a small low impact holiday cottage.

Potential new owners would need to demonstrate a commitment to the environment and also to the local community.

To find out more, please contact EM&F East Anglia, or click here.

Thanks again, and kind regards,

Marie

Alde Garden

The Sweffling White Horse