Lutterworth: Community rallies to help fire-damaged pub reopen

The Shambles, in Bell Street, Lutterworth, is reopening on Saturday

A community has united to help the owners of a 16th Century pub in Leicestershire as they prepare to reopen the venue after it was badly damaged by a fire.

George and Denise East will reopen The Shambles, in Bell Street, Lutterworth, on Saturday.

Mrs East's daughter, Stacey Castle, who manages the pub, said she is "really, really looking forward" to the opening.

She said "absolutely everything" has been changed within the building.

The historic building, which was first used as a pub in 1791, was gutted by the blaze on 13 February 2023, which started in a chimney stack and then spread to the thatched roof.

Manager Stacey Castle is holding an invite-only opening on Friday

"The fire was heartbreaking for the family, but everyone rallied around in the community," Mrs Castle said.

"I can't thank everybody enough for what they have done.

"All of us have rallied around this week and finished everything off to get where we are now after what happened last year."

Mrs Castle said the bar and restaurant areas were swapped over as part of the restoration works.

"They've done a massive change inside," she said.

"The decoration is unbelievable.

"So much work has been done in the past 12 months ever since it happened. They've done an amazing job in here."

The pub is holding an invite-only welcome back party on Friday with local dignitaries as well as police officers and firefighters who helped tackle the blaze.

The pub will then reopen to the public at 12:00 BST on Saturday.

Marston's operations manager, Byron Thomas, said the company are "thrilled" to have the pub's management team "back where they belong".

"We are delighted the Shambles is reopening so quickly, considering the intricacies involved in this rebuild," he said.

"We know how important The Shambles is to the community.

"We have partnered with so many people and skilled professionals to painstakingly rebuild the pub after the blaze, taking great care to preserve its history as a Grade II listed building while sympathetically modernising the interior."