Hexham pub reopens following £700,000 refurbishment

The Coach and Horses in Hexham has received an internal and external revamp.

It has been carried out by pub company Admiral Taverns in partnership with Northumberland County Council and Historic England.

Admiral and licensee Fiona Beck invested £460,000 and the pub was awarded £240,000 by the council and Historic England through the Hexham High Streets Heritage Action Zone scheme (HSHAZ).

The aim of the scheme is to revitalise the town’s historic centre making it a more attractive, engaging and vibrant place for people to live, work, invest and visit.

Licensee, Fiona Beck, who also runs The County Hotel in Hexham, said: “I have loved every minute of running The County Hotel with Admiral Taverns so when the opportunity to take over The Coach and Horses came up, I couldn’t refuse it.

"It had always been my dream to become my own boss and run my own pub so the fact I now run two incredible Hexham pubs is fantastic. I am so excited to re-establish its presence within the area and showcase its refreshed look to new and existing customers.”

Originally, the pub was set out across two separate buildings, so the main feature of the refurbishment has been to connect the two areas allowing the space to operate more efficiently and make it more customer friendly. The corridor has been designed like a conservatory and acts as a transitional space between the two areas of the pub – the bar and the lounge.

Upstairs, the pub also boasts six newly decorated bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms.

The Coach and Horses will offer a simple but delicious food menu.

Admiral Taverns’ business development manager, Stephen Birkett, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the refurbishment of The Coach and Horses. It looks fantastic!

"It’s been a pleasure working alongside Northumberland County Council and Historic England and supporting Fiona to bring her vision come to life.”

Jules Brown, from Historic England, said: “Grants are available to help renovate and restore some key historic buildings, which help to give Hexham such a strong sense of place and character.

"It’s great to see the funding being used to bring buildings like The Coach and Horses back to life.”