Devon pub put on trial

Residents of a North Devon village are being given an early Christmas present - the reopening of their local pub.

Pub company Mentor Inns has fulfilled a promise to reopen the Castle Inn, the only pub in the village of George Nympton near South Molton, after villagers rallied in support.

Licensee Tony Styles has agreed to run the pub, initially for three months to confirm that there is demand. The pub reopens on Monday December 20, just in time for Christmas.

Mentor bought the pub earlier in the year after it had been closed for several months. It tried to attract a new licensee but without success so applied for planning permission to demolish the building and replace it with five luxury houses. The plan attracted so much local criticism that the company had second thoughts.

"We are giving the village an early Christmas present and we now look forward to the promised support of the village and the community to ensure the Castle becomes the hub of activity," said Mentor Inns managing director Shaun Wootton. "If anyone can make a success of the pub it is the licensee we have very carefully selected. He has a vast amount of experience and enthusiasm and with the support of the village can resurrect the Castle to its former glory."

Local resident Janette Menday, who led the campaign to reopen the pub, said the campaigners would be raising their glass to Tony Styles next week. But she added that residents were concerned that the pub had been asked to prove its viability in January, February and March - traditionally the quietest time of the year.

"We hope that this is not a cynical ploy by Mentor Inns to try to prove the pub is unviable, so that they can return to the original plan to redevelop the site," she said.

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Tenants line up as Mentor saves village inn (1 July 2004)