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| Suffolk pub The George reopens in Wickham Market after 2013 fire | Suffolk pub The George reopens in Wickham Market after 2013 fire |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Colin Owens, Ed Leigh and Brian Hall have toasted the reopening of The George community pub in Wickham Market | |
| A community has celebrated the return of its only village pub, 12 years after it burned down. | A community has celebrated the return of its only village pub, 12 years after it burned down. |
| Residents of Wickham Market, in Suffolk, saw The George go up in flames in April 2013. | Residents of Wickham Market, in Suffolk, saw The George go up in flames in April 2013. |
| A group got together in 2016 to buy the site and a project – boosted by a £1m grant from the National Lottery – came to fruition when the doors reopened on Saturday 9 June. | A group got together in 2016 to buy the site and a project – boosted by a £1m grant from the National Lottery – came to fruition when the doors reopened on Saturday 9 June. |
| "It's run to the benefit of the community and now we're open it's proving to be quite a success," said Colin Owens, project lead of the venue's management committee. | "It's run to the benefit of the community and now we're open it's proving to be quite a success," said Colin Owens, project lead of the venue's management committee. |
| "The volunteer group raised in excess of £2m to complete the project and restore The George to be much more than it was - to be more than a pub." | "The volunteer group raised in excess of £2m to complete the project and restore The George to be much more than it was - to be more than a pub." |
| The pub is Grade II listed and dates back to the 16th Century. | The pub is Grade II listed and dates back to the 16th Century. |
| Plans from a private developer to demolish and redevelop the site were rejected by East Suffolk Council in 2016 due to it being "a building of significant historic interest". Now 476 shareholders own a stake in its future. | Plans from a private developer to demolish and redevelop the site were rejected by East Suffolk Council in 2016 due to it being "a building of significant historic interest". Now 476 shareholders own a stake in its future. |
| The roof and first floor of The George Pub was destroyed in a fire in 2013 | The roof and first floor of The George Pub was destroyed in a fire in 2013 |
| An extension to the back of the building includes new kitchen and toilet facilities, with a remodelled layout. An upstairs function room can host 60 people. | An extension to the back of the building includes new kitchen and toilet facilities, with a remodelled layout. An upstairs function room can host 60 people. |
| Its original fireplace was retained and food will start being served later this month, although with table reservations only being taken on Sundays to try maintaining a welcoming atmosphere. | Its original fireplace was retained and food will start being served later this month, although with table reservations only being taken on Sundays to try maintaining a welcoming atmosphere. |
| Pub manager Ed Leigh said: "It's fantastic. It's been a really pleasurable experience. The whole community has got behind it. | Pub manager Ed Leigh said: "It's fantastic. It's been a really pleasurable experience. The whole community has got behind it. |
| "The wide range of people – families, older people, younger people – everyone seems to be really relishing the fact that they can take a quick stroll and have a drink or a coffee. | "The wide range of people – families, older people, younger people – everyone seems to be really relishing the fact that they can take a quick stroll and have a drink or a coffee. |
| "Once the food comes on board, we'll be absolutely nailing it." | "Once the food comes on board, we'll be absolutely nailing it." |
| The pub has been treated to a lick of paint and new windows | The pub has been treated to a lick of paint and new windows |
| The new lease of life is welcome news for Brian Hall, one of the shareholders. | The new lease of life is welcome news for Brian Hall, one of the shareholders. |
| "It's brilliant, we've been waiting for this for a long, long while," said Mr Hall. | "It's brilliant, we've been waiting for this for a long, long while," said Mr Hall. |
| "The first week we had just over 200 people here and that was on limited access until we got fully staffed." | "The first week we had just over 200 people here and that was on limited access until we got fully staffed." |
| The original fireplace of The George pub has been retained during the rebuild | The original fireplace of The George pub has been retained during the rebuild |
| However, the management committee has had some early complaints about noise from neighbours. | However, the management committee has had some early complaints about noise from neighbours. |
| Mr Leigh added: "There are people in the community, as you would expect in any vibrant community, who are completely opposed to us being here. | Mr Leigh added: "There are people in the community, as you would expect in any vibrant community, who are completely opposed to us being here. |
| "I am sorry about that. | "I am sorry about that. |
| "We will do what we can to make things as unobtrusive as possible but we can't do everything." | "We will do what we can to make things as unobtrusive as possible but we can't do everything." |
| Mr Owens added that a thorough consultation process was carried out in recent years. | Mr Owens added that a thorough consultation process was carried out in recent years. |
| He said: "In every situation like this, there is bound to be people that object. They tend to be local to the pub and don't particularly want to live near a pub – even though it's been here for 500 years." | He said: "In every situation like this, there is bound to be people that object. They tend to be local to the pub and don't particularly want to live near a pub – even though it's been here for 500 years." |
| Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. | Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. |