White Horse: Now we've got the keys

We've had some excellent news - the pub is ours! Completion happened without a hitch and we got permission to pick up the keys from the existing tenants, as they have been caretaking the property since contracts were exchanged a couple of weeks ago.

The first thing we did, as we knew the property would be going through a lot of refurbishment and so be unoccupied, was to secure it as much as we could. Tables and chairs that had been left outside over the winter were stored away, barrels that had been discarded outside were used to block the gate or moved out of view, and windows were boarded up.

The next day, the handyman we use for general maintenance (a joiner by trade) visited the property to inspect the roof - we knew it was causing quite a problem in one of the bedroom walls and around one of the main beams in the upstairs hallway as there was visible damp and mould. He also started to clear some of the ivy growing up the outside walls so we could start to think about decorating.

Next job - start getting the quotes in for work we needed to get done, both long and short term. Our list includes (so far!):

• Plumber - new boiler and mostly new central heating and water system, as well as replacing the bathroom.
• Electrician - possibly a complete re-wire!
• Joiner - new door put in for kitchen, new window put in to allow more light into the living accommodation, as well as putting in a new stud wall to divide the bathroom and kitchen. There is also some work needed in the main bar to put in some more slats and a couple of bits of fitted seating.
• Roofer - a small part of the roof over the kitchen/bathroom will need replacing as this appears to have been done as a 'bodge job' not long ago.
• Carpets and flooring - all the old carpets are either fraying, damp and mouldy or possibly illegal, so these will be replaced throughout.
• Garden - we will mostly do this ourselves, although it will definitely need more professional work on the patio and some new furniture.
• Kitchen and chimney - take part of this down to create more space in the downstairs kitchen for a new prep table and enable us to split the kitchen and bathroom upstairs.

A few of the quotes have already come in and they're not looking too bad, at least not as bad as we thought they could have been. we've recently renovated a bungalow in Seagrave so we knew people WHO would quote a fair price and do a good job. The most expensive item is looking likely to be the decoration, as this is going to be throughout the entire property, both downstairs and for the living accommodation upstairs, swiftly followed by the electrical and plumbing work.

While the building work is starting to come together, it's time to start researching and talking to suppliers about our drinks, food and other items. From initial research, the list is starting to seem endless. However, we've identified some of the bigger items that need to be decided, such as choosing a main drinks supplier. Marston's, Coors, InBev, Carlsberg and a range of local brewers are among those we've already spoken to. This is especially important as the brewer is most likely to be responsible for sorting out the cellar and other associated bar equipment - everyone we've seen so far has baulked at the job - although apparently it's not in the worst state that's been seen!.

So we're in the initial throes of renovations and talking to what seems like a million possible suppliers out there. I'm sure it'll all start to come together very soon, so fingers crossed!