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Stown Fen Brewing co-founder Paul Holland wants to bring tradition back by reopening The Wortwell Bell




A 17th century Wortwell pub has been reopened by a Bungay brewery owner and his family, hoping to bring it back to its former glory.

The Wortwell Bell in High Road, which has been closed since September, has been taken over by Paul Holland, co founder of the Stow Fen Brewing company in Flixton Road.

The 58-year-old had been looking for a pub that he, his wife Michelle and 17-year-old son Harrison could take over for some time.

Paul Holland, his wife Michelle and their son Harrison have taken over the The Wortwell Bell .
Paul Holland, his wife Michelle and their son Harrison have taken over the The Wortwell Bell .

Mr Holland added before the opening: “I looked at this pub before and had a chat with Stonegate Pub Partners, but it didn’t work at the time.

“Then, just over three weeks ago, I got a call from them out of the blue and we managed to strike a deal.

“So now that we are ticking all the right boxes and it is getting close, I just can’t wait to open and I am really excited to work alongside our sister company, Stow Fen Brewery.”

The new landlord said he will be using cask ales from his sister company. Picture: Mark Bullimore
The new landlord said he will be using cask ales from his sister company. Picture: Mark Bullimore

Having been born and bred in the area, the new landlord said the support he has had for the pub already has been incredible.

Mr Holland said: “I think this pub has massive potential. The response from the locals has been huge. They have said they are excited to see this pub opening again, instead of it being boarded up, and we have had people coming in and calling up already to see what is going on.”

The pub has a sports bar, which the family have named Fox’s Bar, in memory of local man and good family friend John Fox.

Mr Holland said: “We brew a bottled beer at the brewery called Fox Red for him, too, so we thought we would do something here to remember him as he was well known in the area.”

Future plans for the pub, named after a bell that was on the gable end of the building, which was rung in the 1800s by the landlord to tell villagers his brewed beer was ready, include a darts team, getting a chef in and doing food as well as a beer festival – for more on the pub, go to The Wortwell Bell’s Facebook page.

Mr Holland said: “We want to get the Wortwell Bell back to a good old country traditional pub, as this place has a deep history and massive connections with the area.”



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