Despite fears it had gone for good, The Unicorn has returned to Melksham, after a new landlord stepped in to resurrect the town centre pub.

The Bath Road establishment closed in February, but under the new management of Irish landlord Daniel Grace it has been revamped ready for a big Bank Holiday relaunch next week.

Mr Grace manned the bar for the first time on Tuesday, when local drinkers flocked to return.

He said: “I took over last Wednesday, so it has been busy, all hands on deck to get it ready to go.

“It was a good night on Tuesday, we had a lot of the regulars come back in to have a look around.”

The former hotel manager, who moved to Melksham from Devizes where he ran the Black Swan Hotel, has plans in place to reintroduce food to the pub, and encourage its use as a function venue.

Mr Grace said: “We are doing a barbecue, weather-permitting, on Bank Holiday Monday.

“We’ll also have a DJ on Friday night and every Friday night after from 8pm to 1.45am.”