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Five Bells New
Mill Lane, Colne Engaine, Colchester, Essex, CO6 2HY
Annual Rent: £26,500
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Beer Garden
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External Drinking Area
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Car Park
Property details
The Five Bells is a traditional village pub located in the picturesque Essex village of Colne Engaine, positioned close to the Suffolk border and within easy reach of nearby towns including Halstead, Sudbury and Colchester. The pub occupies a historic building dating back over 500 years, with records of landlords in the village housed on site since 1579, giving it deep roots in local heritage and identity. Centrally placed on Mill Lane in the heart of Colne Engaine, The Five Bells benefits from both local customers and visitors exploring the Colne Valley area. The village itself is a charming rural community with strong connections to neighbouring countryside and a traditional way of life, making the pub a natural meeting point for residents and travellers alike. The Five Bells is easily accessible by road via the A1124 and A131, with convenient connections to the A120 providing routes towards Braintree and Bishop's Stortford. The nearest mainline railway stations are at Sudbury and Marks Tey, offering regular services to London Liverpool Street and surrounding destinations.
The main entrance opens directly into a welcoming bar servery, immediately setting the tone for the pub. Adjacent to the bar is a small coffee station, while to the right-hand side lies the principal bar area, featuring a pool table, gaming machine, and a varied mix of seating designed primarily for drinkers. This space offers direct access to the patio area, which comfortably accommodates up to 40 outdoor covers, making it ideal for warmer months and informal gatherings. To the left of the entrance, the pub opens out into a more relaxed seating area centred around a wood burner, leading seamlessly into the dining spaces beyond. The dining area is thoughtfully arranged, providing a flexible mix of layouts suitable for both intimate tables and larger group dining. The main dining room is a standout feature, full of character and atmosphere, creating a warm and engaging setting for customers. Modern customer toilet facilities are conveniently located to the left of the dining area, ensuring ease of access without disrupting the overall flow of the space. Overall, the layout is well considered, with clearly defined yet connected zones that allow the pub to cater comfortably for a wide range of customer occasions, from casual drinks and outdoor socialising to relaxed dining and group celebrations, all within a welcoming and characterful environment.
The private accommodation, accessed from the rear of the property or through the trade area, consists of two bedrooms, a lounge and a bathroom. There is also further space that has in the past been used as an office space. The accommodation is in good condition.
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Cask Ale
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Catering Kitchen
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Team Games
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Live Entertainment
Trading style
The pub is a well-presented and thoughtfully laid out village local, offering a welcoming, traditional pub atmosphere while delivering a food offer that reaches beyond the immediate village community. It benefits from a strong internal dining space suited to key trading sessions, complemented by an attractive outdoor patio that comes into its own during warmer, sunnier evenings. Currently, food is served from Thursday to Sunday, though there is a clear opportunity to expand this offer and extend trading across the week. In particular, the pub would benefit from introducing a clear value-led weekday daytime food proposition to attract customers from nearby pubs, eateries, and local workers. The drinks trade is anchored by popular cask ales, while there is further potential to capture the after-work and early evening market through a stronger range of session beers, alongside a quality and well-balanced selection of wines and spirits that would appeal to village residents. At present, the business is understood to be trading at approximately £4,000–£6,000 per week, with food accounting for around 35–40% of total turnover. With its strong physical assets, village setting, and scope to broaden both food and drink offers, the pub is well placed to grow into a vibrant, food-led community hub with increased weekday and all-day relevance.
Once locally renowned, this pub has all the foundations to reclaim its place as a true village favourite. It should be celebrated for its warm welcome, traditional hospitality, excellent cask ales, a well-considered wine selection, and cracking pub food served at both lunch and dinner. At its heart, this is a quintessential British pub, designed to sit at the centre of village life. This is not a starter pub and would be best suited to an experienced licensee, or a hands-on couple with a strong blend of front-of-house and kitchen expertise. The business benefits from multiple revenue streams and operational elements, requiring a licensee capable of managing a diverse offer while maintaining consistently high standards across food, service, and overall customer experience. Success will depend on effective marketing both within the local community and further afield, keeping the offer fresh, relevant, and appealing through regular menu development, promotions, and events. Strong cost control and confident profit-and-loss management will be essential back-of-house skills, ensuring the business trades efficiently and profitably throughout the year. For the right licensee, this represents an exciting opportunity to run a well-established, food-led community pub with significant potential. With energy, commercial awareness, and a clear vision for local engagement and growth, the business is well-positioned to build on its strong reputation and deliver long-term success.
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