Historic Porton Pub opens it's revamped doors for first orders
The Old Railway Hotel is finally open
After delays caused by government restrictions being extended, a revamped Porton Pub's bar, restaurant and hotel are finally open.
A Community Consortium, made up of local friends and family purchased the Old Railway Hotel in January. The group have been bringing the building back to life since then.
It was due to welcome customers on June 21st but a delay in restrictions meant the first pint was pulled on Monday July 19th.
The owners says it's going better than expected and the delays were having a big financial impact but now, part-owner, Keith Hartland says they are taking four times what they were expecting.
"We thought it was going to be quite quiet but there was a flood of people wanting to eat and drink so it was absolutely manic, the first we week was really good.
"The feedback has been great. People are happy, it's nice to see people eating and drink and just chatting. And not only because it was freedom day but because that place has been shut for so long.
"Arguably it couldn't have gone any better, if we had said, back along that we were going to do what we have done, we would have told each other we were idiots, it's been that successful."
In June the pub was only going to have drinking and dining available, allowing them to ease the hotel in.
But the restrictions staying for another four weeks meant they needed to expand the outside area to allow for more social distancing.
"People love it they have been congratulating us on the décor, the lay out and the outside area.
"They couldn't believe what we had done with the place and in what they are saying is such a short space of time, but to us, we thought six months was a long stretch of time.
"People were really pleased to see some of the consortium members getting involved, an invested interest, we haven't just bought it, thrown a bar manager in there and walked away."
The pub, restaurant and outside area is fully open. The hotel had a couple of room bookings over the weekend for friends of friends but the group have decided not to take anymore until August.
"We need to make sure the right staff are in because if we fill eight rooms up that gives you an extra level of work, we have the staff lined up we just need to get them in and working when they can.
"It's worth mentioning our head chef is fantastic, everyone is raving about the food, but we desperately need a Chef De Partie otherwise we are fully staffed, we are getting there."
In terms of restrictions, the pub has track and trace available and wearing a mask is optional, as the Government advise.
"Luckily the weather has been so good the majority of windows have been open inside and people have been sat outside, as always restrictions are complex and not that clear.
"We have hand sanitiser and we are cleaning every table when customers leave. You can't sit at the bar but we are allowing people to order drinks there and it is table service but it's not restricted to that."
"Bookings for food are being encouraged as we are quite busy but we do take walk-ins depending on the time."
The pub is prepared if the country has to go back in to another lockdown. There is enough staff to the run the establishment and there is an outside area if people want to sit outside.
"It will affect trade and people's experiences but we are as prepared as we can be. It has been a bit of a hard journey but it has been encouraging to see people coming in for a meal, a drink or those coming in for a coffee and a nose, after what we have suffered, it's what everyone needs really."