The Agricultural Hotel in Penrith opened this week following a revamp into a new look venue with a new name.
Now called the Agricultural Inn, the pub officially opened on Thursday, with new owners Megan McCall and Thomas McLaughlin having completely refurbished it, enhancing the bar, kitchen and guest rooms, and even expanding the beer garden.
Megan told the Herald she is delighted to have got the venue — which continues as a hotel and pub combined — up and running and is extending a warm welcome to all to sample its wares.
“The inside has been refurbished and brings a lovely, warm, welcoming, cosy yet not claustrophobic or dull feeling when you enter,” she said. “The interior refurb is absolutely beautiful, with several photos of Penrith through the years featuring as artwork on the walls.
“The six hotel rooms have also been given a refurb and match the vibe and feel of the downstairs well. They are functional rooms with a luxurious feel to them in the way they’ve been decorated, very homey, very cosy, very relaxing.”
The pub, dining and accommodation will all be dog friendly, says Megan, as well as family friendly. Megan and Thomas bring a lot of experience to the table, as both are directors of MTM Venues.
They are running the venue on a percentage agreement with the Valiant Pub Company to operate and manage the inn and are clearly passionate about their hospitality, and take pride in a venue with such a rich history.
“Myself, Thomas and the Valiant team, want to bring back the locals’ pub,” she explains. “We want to create an atmosphere that feels like home away from home, somewhere you want to meet up with mates, or bring your family when they visit. We also wish to welcome the passing trade that the tourism creates in Penrith, but not at detriment to the locals.
“We wish for this to be a place, whether you’ve been once, a few times or we see you regularly you feel the warm welcome, are greeted with a smile, and treated like family. We hope to be able to not just run a business in this lovely community, but become a part of the community.
“Valiant are a fantastic pub company who have invested time and money into refurbishing the site, also restoring its original external colours to black and silver, as well as taking three of the car park spaces along the front of the building, and transforming them into an extra decking area for outside seating.
The venue was originally built as a hotel in local sandstone in 1870 and has been described previously by Camra as one of the finest surviving Victorian shuttered and panelled serveries.
