6:10pm Thursday 26th November 2009
By Charley Morgan
A village near Trowbridge has been celebrating the reopening of its only pub after it was closed for more than 18 months.
The Well Inn, in Bulkington, which was formerly known as the Tipsy Toad, has undergone a £250,000 refurbishment.
Villagers had feared the pub would be turned into a house or restaurant and said the heart and soul had gone out of the village when it was shut.
But they are thrilled with the transformation landlord Tim Taylor has overseen, which has seen a new 45-cover dining room built where a conservatory once stood.
The pub has been regularly packed with people since it opened on October 24.
Parish councillor Sally Oliphant said: “We are absolutely delighted with it. It’s not just the villagers supporting it, it’s people from all around.
“From the villagers’ perspective it’s so lovely to see it all lit up when you drive through at night.
“Tim has been true to his word and created loads and loads of part-time jobs for all the youngsters.
“The food is excellent, our only gripe is that we can’t always get a table when we want one because it is so busy.”
Experienced publican Mr Taylor bought the business in 2008 and is now living above the pub with his wife, Sam, and two children.
He said: “It has been going very well. We are quite heavily into the food side of things as we installed a new kitchen and have the new dining room.
“We had a wedding on the Saturday before we officially opened, which went very well.
“Then we sent invitations out to all the villlage for the opening night and had a very good response.
“I think the villagers are very pleased that the pub has reopened and they have got somewhere they can meet up.”
The pub has been rewired and replumbed and the upstairs converted for the Taylor family. There is also a new dining room, kitchen and toilets.
The couple decided to change the name of the pub back to its original name, The Well Inn, as there was a well in what is now the car park.
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