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The former Toot and Whistle pub in Toothill, later known as the Village Tavern, has reopened as a community hub following years of work, funding challenges and determination from local volunteers.
Now operating as The Hub @ Toothill, the building on Dunwich Drive has a café, bar, meeting rooms and a large events space, with plans to expand its activities and develop the outdoor areas.
But the ambition goes beyond reopening a much-loved local landmark. Those behind the project want the income generated by the pub, café and private functions to help fund community activities for years to come.
Speaking to Swindon24 during a tour of the newly renovated building, director Kareen Boyd explained:
“The intention has always been that the pub area was the engine that drove everything else.”
The project has its roots in 2010, when Toothill was selected to receive National Lottery funding through the Big Local programme, which was designed to give communities greater control over investment in their neighbourhoods.
According to figures published by Local Trust, Toothill was allocated £1,209,500 through the programme, with approximately 76% of the funding directed towards the community hub. Residents were consulted about how the money should be spent, with the former pub eventually identified as an opportunity to create a lasting community facility.
The Hub @ Toothill Community Interest Company was established in 2018, and the building was secured in 2019 through a 62-year lease from Swindon Borough Council. The pub itself first opened in 1981 as the Toot and Whistle, with its name chosen following a competition involving local children. It later became the Village Tavern before closing in 2019.
Its transformation was far from straightforward. The renovation faced delays during the pandemic, rising construction costs and problems with building work that required further intervention. Kareen explained that the team also faced unexpected legal expenses after difficulties with a contractor.
“Unfortunately, we had the builder let us down at the end, and we incurred legal costs,” she said.
Despite those setbacks, the volunteers continued working to get the building ready for its new role.
The Hub eventually opened on 19th July 2026, bringing the former pub back into public use. Inside, the original Toot and Whistle sign has been restored behind the bar, providing a reminder of the building’s history.
The venue now operates as a café during the day, with the bar opening from 4pm. It also offers a large community function room, which Kareen estimates could accommodate around 80 people depending on the event and room layout.
Upstairs, the former residential accommodation has been converted into additional meeting space. The building is already hosting a growing programme of activities, including bingo, quizzes, craft fairs and a weekly ‘chatty table’, where residents can drop in for company and conversation. Kareen explained:
“A chatty table is a table that says we’ve got a person who comes in and they’re sitting there waiting to welcome anybody who wants to come in on their own and just have a chat.”
The initiative has attracted a regular group of visitors, while enquiries continue for new activities, including seated exercise classes. Birthday parties, children’s celebrations and a wake have already taken place, with Halloween activities and a Christmas programme also being planned.
Kareen believes the response since July demonstrates how much the facility was needed.
“What is demonstrated is the community wanted this and they needed it,” she said.
Although based in Toothill, the venue is open to everyone, regardless of where they live.
“You don’t need to be a member or show your address or anything like that to be able to come in,” Kareen explained.
Attention is now turning to the next phase of the project, including improving the substantial outdoor space and securing support for additional staffing. Kareen acknowledged that, while commercial activities are intended to support the operation, major improvements will still require outside funding.
She said the organisation needs to build up reserves for ongoing building maintenance, particularly as the premises are run independently rather than by a brewery. The team is also exploring volunteering and apprenticeship opportunities, with the aim of giving young people a route into employment.
West Swindon Parish Council has supported the project with grants and maintenance of the surrounding green space, while South Swindon MP Heidi Alexander has also helped the organisers access practical support. For Kareen, who has spent years volunteering alongside the other directors, seeing the former pub finally reopen has been particularly rewarding.
She credited the team’s complementary skills and determination for getting the project across the line.
“It was such an opportunity for the community. It would have been criminal not to see it to fruition,” she said.
The challenge now is to turn the investment, and the renewed interest in the building, into a financially sustainable community facility.
The Hub @ Toothill is located at Toothill Village Centre, Dunwich Drive, Swindon, SN5 8SX.
