‘Think The Rovers Return’: New landlord’s vision for Telford pub after sudden closure
He’s confident he’s able to turn the pub’s fortunes around
A new landlord is preparing to reopen a shuttered Telford pub which closed suddenly over the summer, with plans to restore it as a traditional British local.
Just months after the last landlords moved in, The Horseshoe Inn in Ketley closed suddenly in August, after a video of an unsavoury altercation outside the venue went viral on social media.
Now, a new landlord has taken the reins, with big plans to reverse its fortunes and turn the Holyhead Road venue into a good, old-fashioned community pub.
Ben Adams, 43, is no stranger to the local pub scene. His career started at Telford’s Randlay Farmhouse, and over the years he’s run venues in Wrexham, Shrewsbury and Bayston Hill.
Today, he’s found managing The Steam Wagon in Shrewsbury, something he plans to continue doing alongside the new venture.
“When I first joined Punch Pubs, there were some people who were taking on the Horseshoes - they’ve been replaced twice since then,” Ben said.
“No one else seems to be able to run this pub, so I thought we’d have a go! Punch knew myself and the team are quite capable of turning it around.”
Ben, who has spent the last two weeks painting, cleaning and furnishing the pub, said he has “no plans to reinvent the wheel”.
“This should be a very traditional British pub. It’s supposed to be somewhere people can come for real ale, where families can bring their kids their tea on a Tuesday,” he said.
“If you look up Holyhead Road, most of the pubs have gone - The White Lion now has a Sainsbury’s in it. We’ve got an opportunity to create a real hub for the community.
“We want to go back to a time where the pub was the place where everyone knew each other - think The Rovers Return.”
Ben has spent the last two weeks cleaning, painting and refurnishing the Horseshoes, getting it ready for its opening this Friday, October 30.
“We’re planning just a normal day, just to see how it goes. On Saturday we’ll have some live entertainment,” Ben said.
A food service is set to begin in late November, with plans to serve food “reminiscent of what your mum would make for you”.
The pub will initially be open from 4pm to 11pm from Monday to Thursday, and from midday on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday.s On Sundays, the pub will close at 10pm.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.