With 24 years as a greengrocer under his belt, Mark Paveley is more used to potatoes than pints.
But when the 400-year-old Five Bells pub, in Market Hill, Brandon, sat empty for two years, Mr Paveley and his wife Lynn began to dream.
Having bought the freehold from previous owners Greene King, the couple have renovated the pub, found a landlord, and reopened it on Sunday.
Mr Paveley said he was delighted to have resurrected the historic freehouse.
“I have stood looking at it for two years while it was boarded up. It’s such a pretty building and I kept thinking that it had so much potential.
“We rang Greene King, who were very reasonable with us, and managed to strike a deal,” he said.
Mr and Mrs Paveley’s vision for the building saw it fully refurbished, with the hope of turning it back into a welcoming community pub.
“It has always been a hub for the town. The new landlord, Kevin, wants it to be a real ale pub and he’s already got a Five Bells ale ready to go and he’ll be getting in a guest ale every month.
“We’re really looking forward to it taking off, “ he said.
Do you have an exciting project you are working on or plans to resurrect a well-known landmark? Let us know by emailing reporter Andrew Fitchett on andrew.fitchett@archant.co.uk
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