Hollywood actor Rupert Everett has swapped film sets for pint glasses, working behind the bar of his local pub in a bid to keep it from closing.
The 66-year-old star of Another Country and My Best Friend’s Wedding has joined a rota of about 30 volunteers helping to run The Swan in Enford after the pub was left without a licensee.
The Heart of the Village
Everett said the community’s efforts inspired him to step in.
“There has been an amazing effort by our community to keep this pub open,” he said. “Times are hard for rural pubs and this is the heart and hub of the village. I think it is important to show my support.”
The actor, who also voiced Prince Charming in Shrek, recently joined the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), stressing the need to protect local breweries and traditional cask ale.
“Cask ale must survive – it’s almost a uniquely British tradition,” he added.
CAMRA Welcomes Support
Local CAMRA secretary Steve Stringer, himself an Enford resident, said Everett’s involvement had boosted morale.
“To see him behind the bar serving locals shows his solidarity with the community effort,” Stringer told local media.
CAMRA’s national chairman Ash Corbett-Collins said the organisation was “chuffed” by the actor’s hands-on role.
“Publicans are clawing at a cliff edge to keep their doors open,” he said. “Grassroots campaigning to save pubs is exactly what CAMRA stands for.”
A Wider Struggle for Pubs
CAMRA has urged the government to step in with tax and business rate reforms to slow the wave of closures across the UK. The group is calling for the Autumn Budget to include cuts to National Insurance increases for employers, fairer rates, and lower VAT and duty on beer and cider served in pubs.
For Enford residents, having a Hollywood star pull pints is more than a novelty – it’s part of a determined community fight to keep their pub alive. As Everett put it, The Swan is not just a bar but the beating heart of the village.
