Shotley Gate: Landlord bucks the trend and re-opens The Bristol Arms
A LANDLORD has big plans for the future after reopening a popular pub.
Shane Rolin, 32, took over the reins of The Bristol Arms in Shotley Gate, at the beginning of September.
He said: “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind since I took over but I wanted to get the place open again rather then do a big refurbishment and then open up.
“The pub has so much potential and it was sad to see a pub I knew as a youngster had closed down.”
The pub closed its doors to customers in mid-June but Mr Rolin, originally from the Colchester area, could not wait to get behind the bar.
“The first priority of taking over was just to get it open and operating,” he added.
“We are looking to take it forward and improve the food offering and concentrate more on local, seasonal food as opposed to a big menu from all over the place.
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“We want to support the farms that are local to us.” After Christmas and New Year, Mr Rolin is hoping to refurbish the venue, bring it up to standard and improve it considerably.
He said: “We want to improve it on what it was before and make it a destination place.
“It is in a beautiful location with stunning views across the river.
“The emphasis is food and that’s my background.
“We still want it to retain its rustic, village feel but with a bit more care going into the finished product.”
What do you think about the reopening of The Bristol Arms? Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail starletters@archant.co.uk
