Pub for sale: comes with waterfall made famous by naked Kevin Costner

Green Dragon pub
Green Dragon pub



The Green Dragon pub in North Yorkshire is on the market for just £1.5 million. The buyer has a chance to run a profitable business, because there's a visitor centre and guest accommodation included in the price - along with a three-bedroom cottage. There's also a waterfall that's remembered particularly fondly by Kevin Costner fans - which is run as visitor attraction.

Hardraw Force is not only England's highest single-drop waterfall, it's the waterfall where Costner took a naked shower and went for a swim in the altogether - in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. In the film he was watched by Maid Marion, although in real life there's a chance anyone reenacting the scene would make quite a sight for the pub patrons and tourists.

If he gets the asking price, the current owner stands to make a fortune - as he bought the place in 2001 for £375,000, and has spent the time renovating the 13th century pub. He had previously put the pub up for sale without the waterfall, but has decided that it's time to sell the lot.

Pubs for sale

Clearly very few property purchases come with their own slice of movie history, but if you're in the market for a pub, there's an enormous amount of choice on offer. There are thousands on the market, ranging from Grade II listed village pubs to Cornish seafront pubs and late night bars in town centres - and there's an option for almost any budget - most of which are a long way south of £1 million.

And if you love the pub vibe, but couldn't face running the business, you could always opt for a former pub. There's currently one on sale in the East End, which has been converted to 3-bedroom accommodation and will set you back a fraction under £1.5 million.

Alternatively, you could do the conversion yourself. According to Camra, UK pubs are closing at a rate of 27 a week. A combination of tax, the smoking ban, the cost of employing staff, and rising overheads means that as the number of people visiting pubs has fallen - many have failed. It means that an enterprising pub fan may be able to snap up a pub that's ripe for conversion to a family home.

But what do you think? Would you like to own your own pub - and would Kevin Costner make any difference to your answer? Let us know in the comments.


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