New owner takes over Harpley’s Rose and Crown pub and aims to keep it at heart of community

The new owner of the Rose and Crown at Harpley, Shannon Durrant is determined to keep the pub at the heart of the village community.

He bought the lease at the beginning of June, having worked at the pub on and off for the past six years.

He said: “I have been head chef here and grown with the business. I see my job as serving the community.

“Harpley is a quintessentially English village and the pub has an important role to play.

“I have had consultations with customers and am listening to their ideas for what they want to see from the pub.

“One of the things they raised was to have longer opening hours, which we have introduced straightaway, so we are now open, serving a full menu, from noon to 9pm seven days a week.

“I am over the moon to have this opportunity and pleased to think that the pub is going to be run independently giving us more choice as there are so many in Norfolk these days which have been taken over by large companies.”

Shannon sources all his food locally and likes to vary the menu daily, taking on board recommendations from his suppliers to get the best seasonal produce.

At present there are six people in his team but as he is looking to grow the business, he intends to take on more staff in the future.

Shannon, 29, who was born in Lynn and was a former pupil at Gaywood Park High School, has spent time in London, Manchester and Zambia before returning to West Norfolk. He was also manager at Marriott’s Warehouse in Lynn at the time when it opened in 2013.