The Running Fox in Northumberland to expand in move which will see Powburn pub reopen

The Plough Inn at Powburn, which closed in 2015, is to reopen.

Kris Blackburn, who owns the Running Fox cafe chain, is working in a 50/50 collaboration with publicans Paul and Sarah Johnson on the project.

Refurbishment work is underway with hopes that ‘The Running Fox at The Plough’, as it will be known, will be open by Easter.

"It’s been empty eight years so there is quite a lot of work to do to return it to its former glory but we’re very excited at the idea,” said Kris.

By day it will operate in the same way as the other four Running Fox outlets in Felton, Shilbottle, Longframlington and Longhoughton.

By night it will revert to its traditional pub role under Paul and Sarah, who currently operate The Narrow Nick in Rothbury and The Ale Gate in Alnwick.

“There’s an excellent synergy between the cafe and the pub in that it will utilise the same building for more time,” explained Kris.

“Paul and Sarah already help me with the Farriers Arms in Shilbottle and they have a great knowledge of good beer and real ale.”

"We weren’t actively looking to open somewhere else but I was having a conversation with Paul and Sarah one day and we got talking about The Plough and we agreed how good a location it was,” she explained.

"The success of the ‘pub, cafe, shop’ in Shilbottle made us think that it could work in Powburn too.”

The news has already been warmly welcomed locally.

"There’s been a really positive reaction,” said Kris.