Swavesey • Cambridge

The White Horse Inn

Swavesey's Grade II-listed village pub on Market Street, reopened by Lapen Inns.

NepaleseBritish ClassicsCountry House££
The White Horse Inn on the corner of Market Street, Swavesey, with white brickwork, a red tiled roof and hanging pub sign.
SwaveseyOpen for drinks · food to follow

Quick essentials

Plan your visit at a glance

Our Story

The White Horse Inn has long been part of life on Market Street. Its next chapter with Lapen Inns brings together a village pub, Nepalese cooking, familiar favourites and room for conversation.

A village pub is more than its building: it is a familiar meeting place and somewhere people feel they belong. The White Horse has long played that part in Swavesey.

Its closure in March 2026 mattered to the village, and an independent local campaign showed how much people valued a place to gather on Market Street.

Lapen Inns pairs a food-led village local with Nepalese warmth, respecting the Grade II-listed building's character and the role a pub plays in everyday village life.

  • 18th century

    The building's origins, recorded in its Grade II listing with Historic England.


  • March 2026

    The pub closes, and villagers campaign independently to keep it as a place to gather.


  • October 2026

    Lapen Inns reopens The White Horse Inn for drinks on Thursday 22 October, with food to follow.

Detailed Profiles

Deep dive on The White Horse Inn.

Location & Atmosphere

The White Horse Inn stands on the corner of Market Street in Swavesey, a white-brick, red-roofed village pub with a hanging sign out front. Inside, black timber beams, a brick fireplace, a traditional bar with brass pumps and connected grey-panelled dining rooms keep the character of the Grade II-listed building.

Food & Drink

The bar has been open since Thursday 22 October 2026, serving beer, cider, wine and alcohol-free choices. Food follows: the kitchen will bring Nepalese dishes, momo, curries, grills and pub favourites, with the start date announced on the pub's own website.

Key Features

  • Grade II-listed village pub at 1 Market Street, Swavesey
  • Open for drinks from 22 October 2026, with food to follow
  • Beamed lounge with a brick fireplace and connected dining rooms
  • Table requests through Nabatable
  • Close to RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes and the Cambridge–St Ives Busway
Experience Gallery

Scenes from the dining room.

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Front view of The White Horse Inn in Swavesey, with its pub sign, white brickwork and Market Street entrance.
Front view of The White Horse Inn in Swavesey, with its pub sign, white brickwork and Market Street entrance.
Black timber beams, a brick fireplace, sofas and wooden tables at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
Black timber beams, a brick fireplace, sofas and wooden tables at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
Timber bar, brass beer pumps, exposed brick and black beams at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
Timber bar, brass beer pumps, exposed brick and black beams at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
Wooden tables, grey panelling and connected rooms beside the windows at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
Wooden tables, grey panelling and connected rooms beside the windows at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
Menu Highlights

Signature plates this season.

From our current menuView full menu
Speciality Dishes£13.00

Kathmandu Tikka (Served in Grill) (GF)

GF • dry

Speciality Dishes£15.00

Rack of Lamb (GF)

GF • dry

Speciality Dishes£13.00

Paneer Saslick (GF)

veg • GF • dry

Speciality Dishes£17.00

Salmon Tikka (GF)

GF • dry

Speciality Dishes£18.00

Tandoori King Prawn (GF)

GF • dry

Speciality Dishes£14.00

Himali Lamb (GF)

Speciality Dishes£12.00

Special Veggie Tarkari (V)(GF)

veg • GF

Speciality Dishes£13.00

Veggie Biryani

Speciality Dishes£14.00

Chicken Biryani

Menus may change. Please inform us of any allergies or dietary requirements.

Dietary accommodations

  • Please speak to the team about any allergy or dietary requirement before ordering; menu markers do not replace that conversation.
Location & Contact

We make arrival effortless.

Address

1 Market Street
Swavesey
CB24 4QG

Parking

Parking details are not yet confirmed. Please ask the team where to park before travelling.

Public transit

Swavesey is served by the Cambridge–St Ives Busway; check the Busway timetable when planning your journey.

Accessibility
  • Ask before you travel

    Contact the team about step-free access, the easiest entrance, quieter seating or any other practical needs before your visit.

  • Children and dogs

    Please check with the team before visiting with children or a dog, including which areas you would like to use.

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Stay in touch

Call 01223 751738

Email [email protected]

Reviews & Mentions

Heard through the grapevine.

Press highlights

  • The Morning Advertiser2026-10-20

    Phoebe Fraser reports on Lapen Inns' plans for further selective growth as it prepared to reopen the White Horse Inn in Swavesey.

Grey-fronted bar with beer taps, hanging glasses and wooden shelves at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
Grey-fronted bar with beer taps, hanging glasses and wooden shelves at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
Grey-panelled bar on the left and wooden tables beside sash windows at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
Grey-panelled bar on the left and wooden tables beside sash windows at The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.

Follow along

Watch behind-the-scenes prep, cellar reveals, and playlist drops on Instagram stories each service.

Neighborhood Guide

Make a day of it around Swavesey.

Swavesey is a fen-edge village and former river port. Market Street sits at its historic heart, with fenland walks and the Busway close by.

Outdoors

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes

Lakes, reedbeds and wildlife on the fen edge, reachable along National Cycle Route 51 and the Busway.

Visit site
Culture

Market Street

The historic centre of Swavesey's former river-port village, right outside the pub.

Hidden Gem

Cambridge–St Ives Busway

Bus and cycle routes linking Swavesey with Cambridge and St Ives.

Visit site
Reservations

Secure your table.

Reserve via our booking partners or share special requests and our concierge team will tailor the evening.

Prefer to talk?

Call 01223 751738 or email [email protected].

Concierge reservations

Online forms are paused. Email [email protected] with your preferred date, party size, and any celebrations. Our team will curate the evening and confirm details by reply.

  • Share dietary needs, access notes, or entertainment requests.
  • Let us know which pub you plan to visit.
  • Include the best phone number for quick clarifications.

We reply within one business day.

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