Village pub reopens after more than four years of sitting empty

A rural pub has reopened in the last week, more than four years after it served its last pint.

The Acton at Morville, in Morville, near Bridgnorth, reopened on Monday July 10, following a deal agreed between Darwyn Homes Ltd and Landywood Estates, which joined forces to buy the site last year.

While Landywood, which already runs The Malt at Landywood in Cheslyn Hay, Walsall, will look after the pub, Darwyn are building a trio of five-bedroom houses behind it.

The pub, which used to be known as The Acton Arms, closed in 2018 and has been empty ever since, with some branding it an 'eyesore' due to inaction on the site over the years.

Following a refurbishment, the pub invited its first customer back last week after more than four years, offering just drinks to begin with as meals are set to begin being served in the next few weeks.

Landlord Josh Cartlidge said: "It has been going really well. We have started just with drinks but introduced pizzas this week and hope to have a full food menu in the next few weeks.

Inside The Acton after its big refurbishment.

"We have had a number of locals return who used to drink in here years ago, so that has been great, but we are taking the pub in a bit of a different direction than it was before with a focus on food."

He added that work on the housing project behind the pub is set to begin next week.

Access to the three houses will be through the pub car park, and a fence or wall will be erected between them and the pub. The houses are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The Acton at Morville is open from 12am until 11pm week nights and 12am until midnight on Saturdays, and 12am until 9pm on Sundays.