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  "path": "/news/buckinghamshire-news-historic-pub-tony-hadley-spandau-ballet",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-20T12:14:29.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Mum left baffled by ‘creepy’ neighbour’s hand-drawn parking instructions left on doorstep",
    "Chester Zoo celebrates birth of 'special' baby aardvark named Womble",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA British village has received a huge boost in its bid to save a historic pub after singer Tony Hadley encouraged the public to purchase shares in the venture.\n\nThe celebrated frontman of Spandau Ballet has thrown his weight behind a community effort to resurrect The Rose & Thistle pub in Haddenham, near Thame.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe crowdfunding initiative, branded The Rose & Thistle Reborn, aims to raise £750,000 to bring the village establishment back to life.\n\nSupporters have already contributed over £65,000 towards the ambitious target.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Hadley, whose band produced chart-topping tracks such as Gold and True, said: \"I am wholeheartedly, absolutely supporting the community of Haddenham in trying to get The Rose & Thistle back open again.\"\n\nHe revealed a personal attachment to the establishment: \"It's a fantastic little pub – I have been there many times in the past.\"\n\nThe 1980s icon, known for hits including Communication and Lifeline alongside his bandmates, emphasised the broader importance of the campaign.\n\nHe added: \"We have to preserve our village and small-town pubs.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHis endorsement carries particular weight given his track record of championing similar causes in the region.\n\nThe campaign operates through a Community Benefit Society established specifically for this purpose, known as Haddenham Community Public House Limited.\n\nProspective investors can acquire shares in the pub through the crowdfunding platform, with the scheme designed to give local residents a direct stake in their village hostelry.\n\nThe Campaign for Real Ale's Oxford branch has drawn attention to the restoration effort, lending the initiative additional credibility.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Mum left baffled by ‘creepy’ neighbour’s hand-drawn parking instructions left on doorstep\n  * Mum left baffled by ‘creepy’ neighbour’s hand-drawn parking instructions left on doorstep\n  * Chester Zoo celebrates birth of 'special' baby aardvark named Womble\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe crowdfunding campaign said: \"The Rose & Thistle is an iconic pub in the heart of the conservation area of Haddenham, by the village green and opposite St Mary’s Church - a place that has hosted countless meals, celebrations, conversations and chance encounters over the years.\n\n\"Tragically, Rose & Thistle closed in 2019 and, while the current owners had hoped to reopen, it is now for sale and at risk of being sold to developers and converted to a residential property. And once a pub is turned into a house, it’s almost impossible to bring it back.\n\n\"We’re not here to be alarmist - but we are being honest: this is a time-limited opportunity.\n\n\"If we do nothing, we may lose the pub for good. We need your help to stop it from being last orders at The Rose & Thistle.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIn 2024, the singer backed the Ashendon Community Pub Society's campaign to rescue the Hundred of Ashendon – a gastropub situated close to the Oxfordshire border.\n\nThat effort proved remarkably successful, generating £549,494 to secure the venue as a community asset.\n\nThe Hundred of Ashendon had previously earned recognition in the Michelin Guide before its closure.\n\nThe 2024 campaign attracted backing from across the globe, with contributions arriving from supporters in the United States and Japan, demonstrating the international appeal of Britain's traditional pub culture.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Village gets huge boost in bid to save historic pub after intervention from 1980s singer"
}