Welcome to The Bushel Pub

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1. 🍺 Early History & Origins
2. • The building that is now the Bushel & Strike dates back to the late 19th century, originally serving as a beerhouse — a type of simpler licensed establishment focused on selling beer rather than a full victualling (food) licence.  
3. • Historical records show it appearing in local licensing registers in the mid-1800s and being listed in census records from the period, with various licensees running the beerhouse over the decades.  
4. • The pub traditionally served locals as a meeting place and drinking venue in the heart of Heacham and remains a longstanding feature of village social life.  
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6. 🧑‍🌾 Licensees and Community Role
7. • Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Bushel & Strike had a succession of landlords and landladies, often reflecting the ebb and flow of rural hospitality life in Norfolk. Records from local licensing documents show names such as Walter Cousins (late 1800s), Ann Wells and William Fuller in the early 1900s, and many others through the mid- to late 20th century.  
8. • In 1909–1910, local newspaper reports mention minor licensing incidents — such as fines for allowing drunkenness — giving a flavour of village pub life and law enforcement of the time.  
9. • The pub’s licence was formally upgraded: it moved from a beerhouse to a full licence granted in 1955, reflecting its established role and broader service offering.  
10. • It underwent renovation and expansion in 1976, showing community investment in maintaining the pub as a local amenity.  
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12. 🍻 Modern Era & Recent Developments
13. • Into the 21st century, the Bushel & Strike has continued as a traditional village pub, serving ales, drinks and, increasingly, food and meals for locals and visitors alike.  
14. • In October 2022, new owners Steve Lewis and Karen Eastwood took over the pub, giving it a refreshed lease of life. They focused on renovating the space, improving its welcoming atmosphere and establishing regular food service, aiming to make it “family and dog-friendly” while maintaining its roots as a local social hub.  
15. • Today the Bushel & Strike is known as a warm and friendly community pub with regular ales, changing menus, quiz nights and events, and a popular Sunday roast.  
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17. 🏡 Significance in Heacham
18. • The Bushel & Strike sits on Malthouse Crescent in central Heacham and has been a part of the village’s social fabric for well over a century.  
19. • Heacham itself is a historic Norfolk village with roots stretching back to Anglo-Saxon times and a long tradition of local pubs and community spaces.  
20. • The pub has featured in local newsletters and community histories as a familiar landmark — even recalled nostalgically by local families and regulars over the years.