REVIVED and revamped, the Castle Inn has gone back to its roots as an historic music pub tucked away in the Old Town side streets.

Band nights each and every weekend and plans to mark the Queen’s Jubilee are part of the turnaround in recent years.

The pub’s spirited fightback is in contrast to the misfortunes of several other premises serving the same terraced streets.

The Prince of Wales drifts on in the search for the owner while The George has thrown up the steel shutters altogether.

The Castle also had its troubles, though that was before landlady Tina McCann took over five years ago.

Since then she has reinstalled a pride in the pub’s history and continued its long tradition of live music.

The watering hole was also one of the first venues in Swindon to become involved with the Campaign for Real Ale's Community Pub Month, which is being run throughout April in conjunction with the Adver.

Tina, 43, said: “We are a community pub where everyone is welcome. People like the atmosphere and they have given us fantastic support.

“We had a 30th birthday last weekend and have a 50th lined up this weekend. St Patrick’s Day was absolutely fantastic, we did a week of takings in a day, and over Easter we couldn’t get any more in the pub.”

A framed map of Old Town when it was Swindon’s central point has been framed and placed on the wall on the pub, which has occupied the corner of Prospect Place and North Street since 1852.

The keepsake, donated by a regular who passed away two years ago, has led Tina to scour the library and Adver archives for pictures of the Castle from days past.

Reviving the music also follows in the history of a venue where past performers include folk-rock stars Paul Simon, Julie Felix and Al Stewart.

Tina, who runs the pub with partner Seb Reed, said: “I’m really proud of what we have achieved here. We have redecorated the outside, the bar and refurbished the toilets as well as introducing music which includes bands from Old Town and fundraisers for children with cerebral palsy.

“For the Jubilee we are planning a band along with a barbecue and a bouncy castle.

“We have contacted the council and the idea is the street will be closed and the neighbours will bring their kids in the afternoon.

“We couldn’t have done it without the fantastic staff, they have been second to none.

“Other pubs around us have fallen by the wayside, but we are surviving. We just want to keep the punters happy and we believe if you are nice to people and you give them something, they will come back.”