In pictures: 400-year-old Ludlow pub given new lease of life

The Rose and Crown in Ludlow's Church Street is Grade II listed and has a long and varied history.

Concerns were raised about the effect on Ludlow's high street when the pub closed its doors in December after the departure of landlord Paul Kemp, who was at the time Ludlow's deputy mayor.

Those fears were further compounded by the closure of the Church Inn, just a few doors down, in April.

But on Monday the pub opened its doors for the first time since a major renovation by Joules Brewery, which owns the pub, was completed.

Gary Seymour, who will be taking over as landlord along with Karlos Keber-Smith, who will oversee the kitchen, said it was a dream come true.

He said: "Out of all the pubs in Ludlow this is the one I always wanted to run, and when me and Karlos met up with Joules Brewery, when we saw what they had done with other pubs we were very keen to be involved."

The interior of the pub, previously a cluster of separate rooms, has been opened out by the refurbishment, he said, but retained a traditional feel with oak panelling on the walls and lots of nooks and crannies for people to sit in.

"It's been a massive refurbishment," he said.

"They've actually restored it to above its former glory.

"For instance there's a beautiful stone wall that lay hidden since the 1960s that dates back to about 1120 that has been revealed.

"There's these lovely wooden beams," he said, pointing at the ceiling, "They were boarded up in the 1960s and in the late 1980s they actually put in fake beams on top of them.

"There's also a little old brick fireplace that was probably put in the 1920s."

The bar makes use of "mouseman" oak panels by famed 19th century carpenter Robert Thompson and an array of new stained glass windows were created bespoke by craftsman Paul Georgiou.

The new pub incorporates a restaurant serving pub food and a beer garden, all newly refurbished and now linked up in an open-plan design.