What could be Welshpool's smallest alehouse opened its doors for the first time today - as a landmark derelict building became the town's first micro-pub.

Owners Janet and Paul Morris say they're hoping to bring a 'proper community pub' experience to The Old Bakehouse on Church Street in Welshpool, which saw a crowd of customers head through doors for the first time at 11am today (September 24), after what they say is "15 months of hard work, and years of planning".

The mini-venue seats 42 punters with a focus on real ales, traditional ciders and proper community spirit - and for Paul and Janet it's the end of a long journey to bring the landmark Welshpool building back into use.

"We've been looking at the building for the last 5 or 6 years, and it was very derelict and very messy but we've seen a few micro-pubs and that's the kind of thing we like," said Janet.

"When we first got the keys you could barely walk down the side of building because there was so much rubble and you could see it all the way back.

"We've taken out five skip-loads of rubbish, including two and a half thousand bricks; we rebuilt the wall using the bricks we recovered from down the side so we've reused as much as we could."

The couple completed much of the renovation work themselves and despite having minimal background in the pub trade, have thrown themselves at it whole-heartedly.

But they say they'll be relying on some help from family and friends while they find their feet.

"I pulled my first pint this morning, ever! I used to work designing staircases and my husband has been in sales," added Janet.

"We've done bits of renovations before but setting up a business is terrifying! Luckily we've got daughters who've all been in the trade and one's an accountant so we've got plenty of business experience behind us.

"We sell real ales and traditional ciders. There's been a bit of confusion about what we are, but we're not doing tapas and we're not a cocktail bar!

"We're not doing shots and it's not about heavy, fast drinking - it's relaxed, it's chilled out. It's an old fashioned type of boozer, that's what we're going back to."

And the Welshpool born and bred duo say that despite the size of the venue, there's room for all sorts of community groups at the bar, who can use the facilities for free.

"We've got 42 seats up and down combined and we're very open. If someone wants to use the upstairs space, as long as they're buying drinks off us they can have the space for free.

"Community spirited is what we want to be, so we really want to invite in any groups, poetry groups, craft groups, anything like that that needs a meeting place then they're welcome to use it as long as they buy some teas and coffees."

 

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