Closed village pub set to serve customers again

Residents in Westwell say they are bucking the national trend after plans to reopen their village pub were revealed.

The Wheel Inn, which overlooks the village green, closed in June after the landlords left.

But the Shepherd Neame brewery has now revealed plans to reopen the site with new managers at the helm.

Parish councillor Clive Bainbridge, who has been in contact with the brewery since the closure, welcomed the news, saying: “We are keen to keep it as it is a community asset.

“We have certainly missed it and are pleased it looks like it will finally reopen, because it is important to us in the village.

“So many pubs are closing in villages across the county, but Westwell is bucking the trend and getting its pub open again which we are really looked forward to seeing.”

Cllr Bainbridge says Shepherd Neame is keen to build four semidetached homes on the site’s former beer garden, as well as refurbishing the pub.

He added: “We are not unhappy about the new homes.

“Some people are for and others against building in the centre of a village, but my personal view is that it is not a bad thing.

“Everyone would welcome the idea of it opening again and we are waiting to meet the new landlords.”

Brewery spokesman Benedict O’Connor says the pub will open on a free-of-tie basis, meaning the landlords are allowed to sell non- Shepherd Neame stock.

“We are planning to reopen the pub following a programme of refurbishment,” he said.

“These are challenging times for rural pubs, with many village pubs closing in recent years, and by offering the Wheel on a freeof-tie lease we hope this will contribute to the viability of the pub as a long-term business.

“Since the Wheel closed in June we have been in regular contact with the parish council to keep the local community aware of our plans and offer some reassurance as to the future of the pub.”

Mr O’Connor said it is not yet known when the pub will reopen.

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The Wheel Inn in Westwell outside Ashford is set to reopen after closing in June