Landlady of 300-year-old Shropshire pub destroyed in blaze delighted as rebuild starts
The landlady of a 300-year-old Shropshire pub which is being rebuilt after it was destroyed in a huge fire has spoken of her excitement after the first bricks were laid.
Work has begun to rebuild The Tayleur Arms, in Longdon Upon Tern, near Telford, which suffered damage estimated at £1.2 million when fire tore through the premises in March last year.
And today, as the new building's foundations began to take shape, Eve Harvey said the new pub could be open by the end of October this year – if all goes to plan.
Mrs Harvey, 46, speaking from the site where she and landlord husband Richard, 43, are living in a caravan , said the foundation work could be finished next week.
She said: "The builders have started phase one where they put in the main wall foundations. Hopefully within a week or so that will be finished, so they are doing really well. It is quite exciting to watch it all develop and to see the change. It all makes it that little bit closer to being open again."
Mrs Harvey also thanked residents in the village who had pushed for the rebuild.
She said: "Everybody has been so supportive and they have backed us all the way. They have been brilliant everybody has been amazing. We have received phone calls from well wishers and everyone is saying they cannot wait to have it back. We have got such a large following."
She added: "It won't look exactly the same, as the original building was 300 years old. But from what we have seen we are happy with it and it will be in keeping with the village. The things inside will still be the same it's just the outer shell that will be different – the kitchen and bar will be restored and the log fires will return."
More than 1,600 people had signed up to a Facebook campaign calling for the pub to be rebuilt by owners Enterprise Inns.
Mr and Mrs Harvey escaped the fire in their night clothes, along with their 14-year-old son Elliot and some guests who were staying the night.
Mrs Harvey added: "s long as there are no hiccups we should be open again at the end of October, beginning of November."
