Regulars at an Ashley pub have welcomed efforts by its new landlords to revive its fortunes.
The Meynell Arms in Church Road had been shut for around 12 months before Paul Adams, Steve Hunt and Colin Lorenz reopened it in June.
Villagers are now returning to the pub and the landlords have launched a new restaurant serving home-made food, seven days a week.
Paul, 43, said: “We’re doing alright and getting quite good trade, with a good mixture of middle-aged and younger customers.
“Before it reopened, myself and my business partner Steve Hunt said the village pub should not be shut because it’s the hub of the community and it’s our local.
“When we were in discussions with the brewery, we were sounding people out and they were saying ‘it’d be great if the Meynell Arms was open again’.
“So with that feedback, we thought ‘let’s give it a go’.”
Paul, a former firemen, said they were one of four groups interviewed by West Midlands-based Enterprise Inns to take over the pub and believes they were chosen because they live in Ashley.
He said: “My family has been round here in the farming industry since 1547 and I think what swayed it for us is that we know the pub, we’ve used it before and we know the customers.
“It’s my first involvement with pubs, but my business partner Steve has been involved for about 25 years and Colin has been in the pub trade for 14 years.
“There are also seven staff members so it’s not a big crew, but we’re all pulling in the same direction.
“The response has been very positive and all the old faces are coming back.”
One customer happy to see the pub open again is Dave Bagnall who has lived in Ashley for almost three years.
He said: “It’s a traditional pub, not a wine bar, where you can bring your family and everybody is made welcome.
“I was so depressed when it was closed and when I found out Paul and his business partner were taking on the pub, I was delighted because they’re locals so they’ll run it right.
“You get good conversation, good beer and now that it’s open again, I don’t need to go anywhere else.”
By Winston Brown
