MyNewPub

Romping Cat

Old Woods, Shrewsbury

Agent: Sidney Phillips

Robin Beddoes and his wife, Lyn, are refitting the Romping Cat, a Shrewsbury pub specialising in real ale. They have been in the trade for six and a half years. Robin previously worked as a water-industry consultant and Lyn worked in retail.

The couple own another freehold pub in Shrewsbury, the Woodsman, a similar, real-ale-led operation.

Robin said: "I got into the trade after investing in a pub - the business started going badly and I had to step in, I

suppose it happened by accident. We've been looking all over the UK for a new pub so it's great to find one right here on our doorstep."

Robin is investing £60,000 to £70,000 refitting the

Romping Cat. Building works have been delayed by bad weather and the pub is now due to open on the 11 August, a week later than intended.

"The Romping Cat already has a great reputation for its beer - it's been in the Good Beer Guide for 10 years and won the Camra Local Pub Of The Year Award in 2001. The

Woodsman, our other pub, has been in the Good Beer Guide for three years. It's great having freehold pubs because we can source interesting ales from wherever we want."

Their new pub will have six hand-pumps with regularly-changing beers, including local ales Shropshire Gold and Hobsons Best Bitter.

The couple are not going to stop at the Cat, as it is locally known, and plan to take on another freehold site within the next two years. "We're looking for similar sites and our focus is always going to be real ale, but we want all of our pubs to have an individual feel."