My new pub

The Mermaid

Thorncliffe, Derbyshire

Agent: Guy Simmonds

Mark Davis is busy advertising his new pub in the local press to let his new customers know that the Mermaid has changed hands.

"We're quite far out — the pub stands alone, about three miles outside Thorncliffe village, so marketing is important," he said. The pub's restaurant will now be open six days a week, not just for special occasions.

Mark and partner Barbara's first foray into the hospitality industry was a hotel and restaurant operation in Scotland. They moved to Derbyshire to be closer to their home town of Wigan.

Mark previously had a career in the food manufacturing industry, while his partner Barbara worked for the NHS.

They have two chefs on board. Head chef Lee, who hails from Stafford, is offering a menu of simple home-made pub food, such as steak and kidney pie, and wok-fried chicken — a dish popular at the couple's last venture. One real ale, Courage Directors Bitter, is on offer, and the pub sells a lot of wine with food.

Mark, who has been at the site for the past three weeks, said: "We love it here — and it's all going fantastically well. The restaurant has wonderful views over the Peak District National Park.

"It was in great condition when we came in. We decided the pub's separate restaurant could be open longer and we plan to replace the windows."

The Mermaid is a detached two-storey stone-built property, featuring open fires and beamed ceilings throughout the trading areas, which incorporate a lounge bar and restaurant area.

The Mermaid was sold for an undisclosed figure off an asking price of £425,000 for the freehold.