Latest news with #villagepub
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Suffolk pub The George reopens in Wickham Market after 2013 fire
A community has celebrated the return of its only village pub, 12 years after it burned of Wickham Market, in Suffolk, saw The George go up in flames in April 2013.A group got together in 2016 to buy the site and a project – boosted by a £1m grant from the National Lottery – came to fruition when the doors reopened on Saturday 9 June."It's run to the benefit of the community and now we're open it's proving to be quite a success," said Colin Owens, project lead of the venue's management committee. "The volunteer group raised in excess of £2m to complete the project and restore The George to be much more than it was - to be more than a pub."The pub is Grade II listed and dates back to the 16th from a private developer to demolish and redevelop the site were rejected by East Suffolk Council in 2016 due to it being "a building of significant historic interest". Now 476 shareholders own a stake in its future. An extension to the back of the building includes new kitchen and toilet facilities, with a remodelled layout. An upstairs function room can host 60 original fireplace was retained and food will start being served later this month, although with table reservations only being taken on Sundays to try maintaining a welcoming manager Ed Leigh said: "It's fantastic. It's been a really pleasurable experience. The whole community has got behind it."The wide range of people – families, older people, younger people – everyone seems to be really relishing the fact that they can take a quick stroll and have a drink or a coffee."Once the food comes on board, we'll be absolutely nailing it." The new lease of life is welcome news for Brian Hall, one of the shareholders."It's brilliant, we've been waiting for this for a long, long while," said Mr Hall."The first week we had just over 200 people here and that was on limited access until we got fully staffed." However, the management committee has had some early complaints about noise from Leigh added: "There are people in the community, as you would expect in any vibrant community, who are completely opposed to us being here."I am sorry about that."We will do what we can to make things as unobtrusive as possible but we can't do everything."Mr Owens added that a thorough consultation process was carried out in recent said: "In every situation like this, there is bound to be people that object. They tend to be local to the pub and don't particularly want to live near a pub – even though it's been here for 500 years." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
The village river-side pub with 2 deliciously popular dishes that 'go down a treat'
This week's pub is in a village that sits on the shores of the River Irwell and has a "good group" of regulars. The Horseshoe, in Ringley, is a Thwaites pub and has been run by Eileen and Andy Donald for the last seven and a half years. Originally from the North East, Eileen has lived in Bolton for more than two decades. We spoke to Eileen to hear what it's all about. More: Celebrity chef on headlining Bolton Food and Drink Festival for the first time More: Weetabix axes breakfast 'icon' in all supermarkets and fans are 'really sad' More: I ate all that Greggs had to offer and here's how they ranked from worst to best Introduce yourself My name is Eileen Donald, and I run the Horseshoe in Ringley. Eileen and Andy (Image: Public)What made you want to take over the running of the pub? I'd worked in the pub before we began running it, and I always got the impression that it was a thriving village pub, so it was ideal. What changes did you make? We wanted to go back to basic, and do what the pub used to do in the early 2000s, so we brought back home-cooked food. (Image: Public)What's the most popular dish? I'd say either the minted lamb, or the homemade cheese and onion pie. What's the draught line-up? Birra Moretti Madri Guinness Somersby cider Thwaites's Gold Thwaites's Smooth Fosters What's the best thing about running the pub? (Image: Google Maps) The people, getting to meet all sorts of people from all walks of life, is very nice, we've got a good group of regulars who we chat to. Describe the area It's ruralish, it's in three villages really, Stoneclough, Ringley, and Prestolee, on the river Irwell, we used to be on an old camel towpath that is very popular with walkers, we're dog friendly and very much a village pub. What's been a highlight of your time at the pub? Surviving Covid! It was difficult, but it was easier for us as we could operate as a takeaway for brews when everyone was being encouraged to go walking.
