The landlord of a standout Wiltshire pub has said he is looking to the future five months after he took over the 19th century watering hole.
Located on Church Road in the village of Derry Hill, The Lansdowne Arms stands confidently with its gothic stone structure catching the eyes of all who pass it.
It was built in the 1830s and has managed to retain many of its original features almost 200 years on.
The pub’s landlord Jamie Brereton took over in March and has already got to grips with the building’s past.
“It was built with the main purpose of being a pub but there were also stables as well with some of these remaining here to this day,” he said.
“We have some beautiful original fireplaces and since I have taken over, we have renovated the bar area and taken up the carpet revealing some original oak flooring.
“I was surprised at how good the condition the floorboards were in and we’ve stained them to keep it in keeping with the rest of the woodwork in the building.”
The 35-year-old has previously managed The Red Lion in Lacock and The Waggon and Horses in Beckhampton but is loving life in Derry Hill.
“So far it has been great as it is a beautiful location with lovely views and it is nice to be part of a village community,” said Jamie.
“This is quite different to the touristy pubs I have worked in before because although people do know about us, we are very much a destination pub because we are between villages.”
The Grade II listed building is owned by the ninth Marquess of Lansdowne Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice with the Wadworth brewery renting it.
Although offering a wide selection of ales, the pub has found recent notoriety in its diverse menu.
“The drink offering is selected for us with a good selection of traditional ales but we have more creativity with the food,” said Jamie.
“We have a Portuguese pork dish with an ale-infused sauce with paprika seasoned fries and that’s my go-to recommendation.”
The pub is in tune with its past but the landlord is also looking to the future with changes on the horizon.
“All of our windows have the crisscross iron strips across them which makes the building stand out and distinct,” added Jamie.
“Recently we have had some garden work to turf our grass again after it was killed off but there are still improvements to be made.”
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