Russell Brand's abandoned village pub is set to reopen under new ownership next month. The Crown Inn, in Pishill, Oxfordshire, will open its doors fully on December 5, according to the pub's website.
Brand, 51, was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison on Monday after being found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The disgraced comedian had spent years trying to turn the pub into a media space for his podcast show, after buying it for £850,000 in June 2021.
Planning Disputes and Local Backlash
Brand faced planning disputes and backlash from locals as he unsuccessfully applied to the local council to convert the pub into offices and a recording studio. More than 50 villagers objected to Brand's plans, with 20 residents staging a protest against the redevelopment.
In the meantime, the pub had essentially been left to rot for five years, with the bar sitting empty and the garden overgrown.
Sale and Reinvention
According to The Sun, Brand finally sold the 600-year-old pub to new owners in April for £975,000 - £125,000 more than he paid for it. The main area of the pub is now being refurnished before the doors open fully on December 5.
It is being reinvented as a heritage pub which offers "an experience that flows naturally between dining, celebration, rest, and renewal". The pub will have a Thai and English-fused menu, while the thatched barn will be an event space for weddings and celebrations.
Luxury Accommodation and Further Allegations
There will also be luxury accommodation, with a cottage on site being converted for overnight stays alongside "Wild Spa" offering outdoor saunas, ice baths and forest bathing.
Following his sentencing, Brand is now facing multiple fresh allegations, with six more women accusing him of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour. He is currently serving time at HMP Wandsworth in south London.
