Ottery's Lamb and Flag to re-open

OTTERY S Lamb and Flag pub is set to re-open within the next fortnight, but the premises remains up for sale.

OTTERY'S Lamb and Flag pub is set to re-open within the next fortnight, but the premises remains up for sale.

Owner Punch Taverns still wants to offload the Batts Lane property, however, a licensee stepped in this week to re-open its doors temporarily.

The news signals a remarkable, albeit short-term, turnaround for the once-popular pub, which has been a boarded up, sad reflection of its former self since January.

Punch Taverns told the Herald in May it was likely the pub would remain closed, and the firm was "keen" to cash in on the premises. However, a spokeswoman said on Monday: "We are delighted to confirm that the Lamb and Flag will re-open very soon with new tenants at the helm. They are a great couple and have our full support. We continue to explore options around the future of the pub."

New landlord Ron Miles, 56, who has been in the licensee trade nearly 30 years, said he had been looking for a business venture in the town as his daughter is a pupil at The King's School.

Ron, a former food and beverage manager at the Sidholme Hotel, Sidmouth, said: "I noticed the pub was closed down and approached Punch Taverns to ask if they wanted me to run it temporarily.

"The pub is still up for sale but we will operate it until it's sold. That will be for at least three months, and could be six or even a year, who knows.

"The place been closed down for seven months and needs a bit of sorting out. We're working on it now, giving it a lick of paint, and hope to get it open in the next two weeks. Things are well on target.

"I'm very much looking forward to that. There's a lot of local interest, the general consensus is they can't wait for it to re-open."

Ron confirmed groups wanting to use Lamb's hall will be "welcomed back".