'No TVs, no loud music': Couple reveal plan to open dream micropub in village near Shrewsbury

A Shropshire couple are hoping to realise a long-held dream by opening a new micropub in a village near Shrewsbury.

Simon and Rhea Alton have revealed plans to open The Bunkum Tap, a small independent venue on The Parade that they say will champion quality drinks, relaxed conversation and Shropshire’s independent producers.

For Simon, becoming a landlord represents the continuation of a family tradition stretching back almost 200 years. He is believed to be the sixth generation of publicans in the Alton family, following ancestors who ran inns and pubs across Derbyshire throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.

His great-great-grandfather, Edmund Alton, was landlord of The Boot and Slipper in Alfreton before taking over The Brick and Tile in Mansfield. His great-grandfather George later ran both The Brick and Tile and The Midland Hotel in Mansfield, while Simon's grandfather Sidney was the landlord of The Druid Inn in Birchover, where Simon's father, Bob, was born.

The new venture is a personal project for Bayston Hill-raised Rhea too, who worked behind the bar at The Three Fishes for almost a decade.

The pair - who both have day jobs in PR - have returned to the village to raise their own family, and say they are passionate about investing in the community they call home.

Simon said the name of The Bunkum Tap was a tribute to the village, with Bayston Hill having been known as ‘Bunkum’ in years gone by.

“We want to create a warm, welcoming space where people can meet, community groups can gather and people can enjoy a carefully chosen selection of drinks in a relaxed atmosphere,” he said.

“It won’t be a sports bar or a late-night venue - there will be no TV screens or loud music.

“The focus will be on conversation, quality drinks and creating somewhere that people can simply enjoy spending time together, perhaps with a board game, reading a newspaper or just chatting with friends and neighbours.

“We’re also passionate about supporting local businesses, so wherever possible we'll be serving drinks and snacks from independent Shropshire producers.”

The proposals include seating for around 30 people, with the Altons aiming to create a “calm, sociable atmosphere”.

Although their applications request flexible opening hours, they intend to operate from Thursday to Sunday, closing at 9pm.

“The hours in the planning and licensing application simply give us flexibility should we want to host the occasional community event, tasting evening or charity fundraiser without needing to apply for variations in the future,” Simon said.

The couple hope the new venue will bring something a little different to the village.

Rhea said: “Bayston Hill is fortunate to have great pubs and independent businesses already serving the community - you will still see us in The Compasses and The Beeches regularly and we are looking forward to the reopening of The Three Fishes - where I worked for nearly 10 years behind the bar.

“We see The Bunkum Tap as adding something different rather than replacing anything that already exists.

“Micropubs have become popular because they offer a different experience - they're smaller, quieter and centred around conversation. We hope The Bunkum Tap will encourage even more people to spend time locally and continue supporting businesses within the village.”