Martin and Louise Griffiths take on renovation project at The Kings Head in North Lopham

A couple who own a popular village pub have taken on an extensive renovation project to preserve it as the heart of its community for centuries to come.

Martin and Louise Griffiths, who bought The Kings Head in North Lopham just under two years ago, are in the process of overseeing a complete renovation of the front of the building which started a week before Easter.

Knowing how important the pub is to the village, the pair wanted to make sure the work maintained the tradition of the rest of the building.

Mr Griffiths said: “We always knew the sole plate, which is a horizontal timber that forms the base of the front wall, was rotten, we saw that from day one.

“But we could also see that the gable end needed a lot of attention too and we felt there was no point in patching it up, which others have done around the pub in the past.

“So we chose a full renovation to the front and replacing some of the windows that were rotten too.”

The Street pub is said to be between 405 and 435 years old, so the pair felt it was vital that the work being done was respectful to the building.

“We want to make sure the work would future-proof the pub, which is the heart of this community, for another 400 years,” said Mrs Griffiths.

The two-month project is being worked on by brothers Joe and Tom Eve, of Eve Carpentry and Renovations from Mendham.

“Both of them have been brilliant and their craftsmanship, knowledge and expertise has been second to none from the beginning,” said Mr Griffiths.

“This could not have been done without that and we thank them so much for helping us. They will now be a part of Kings Head history.”

As well as finding old items within the wattle and daub of the wall, the couple are also planning for the future.

They have put together a time capsule which they want to put inside the new wall for future generations.

“We contacted St Andrew’s Primary School in the village and the children have made some self portraits. A biker group that meets at the pub, called The North Lopham Paragraph, have given us a group shot of themselves, we have a newspaper front page and a picture of a previous landlady and landlord from 1988 to 1992,” said Mrs Griffiths.

Asked how they felt about being the pub’s guardians, the couple said it was a great honour to be a part of village life.

“We fell in love with this place as soon as we saw it and we feel very proud,” said Mr Griffiths.

“I have always loved English pubs and to see so many of them close in villages or be changed into houses, it just breaks my heart.”

His wife added: “When we bought the building, we had no idea that we were also buying into such a beautiful community.

“We are honestly blessed and we could not do this work without the support of the villagers.”

One of those is Nicki Bennet who said the publicans had restored the soul of the village since taking over.

She said: “Martin and Louise have rekindled the sense of togetherness that defines village life.

“The Kings Head is far more than just a place to eat and drink, it has become a hub for conversation, fun and laughter with friends and family.”