Great Moulton pub owners are feeling positive after reopening

When a planning application was submitted to turn the former Fox and Hounds pub in Great Moulton into a residential property, it was met with concern from villagers and councillors.

Although the application was rejected by planners in August it was the threat of the pub being permanently closed which spurred three friends, Terry Devlin and Phillip and Jayne Ramsay, to buy the Fox and Hounds and reopen it.

Mr Devlin, who owns Devlin Plummer Stained Glass in Great Moulton, said: 'When I moved here the place was heaving and I thought it still could be. It was in danger of being turned into a private house and the three of us got together and thought let's give it a go.'

The pub closed in September 2014 and former owner Marilyn Forder submitted plans to South Norfolk Council to change it into a house to stop it falling into disrepair after she was diagnosed with cancer for the third time and said she could no longer run a pub.

She died in July before the final decision on the pub's future was made.

Although the pub, which also has a restaurant which cooks traditional pub food, only reopened two weeks ago, Mr Devlin has said they have already had a great response from the village.

The 47-year-old, who has worked in pubs over the years, said: 'Half the people who have been in we don't recognise and there's been a mixture of old and new people.

'We've been busy and it's just been a fantastic response. We've got Katie Archer who is managing the pub; she used to work at the Tibenham Greyhound.'

Next year there are plans to extend the pub by installing a new kitchen and restaurant area.

'The restaurant will be larger and we'll improve the menu. Hopefully we will be starting the work in March or April,' said Mr Devlin. 'We also want to involve the village more and make it a family pub.

'We have an acre and a half of land so we're hoping to host fetes on there.'