People from Great Salkeld and the surrounding area turned out in droves to celebrate and support the rebirth of a treasured village asset.
Chef Tom Lefevre, 37, and his wife Claire, 38, of Lazonby, have taken over running the Highland Drove Inn, which closed at short notice on Sunday, October 16 — much to the dismay of local residents.
More than 100 of them turned out at a special meeting held in Great Salkeld village hall in the wake of the closure to express their concern over the potential loss of the community’s only pub, and a similar number were present last Thursday as Tom and Claire reopened it.
One of those at the reopening was Bev Pink, who chairs Great Salkeld Parish Council. She said: “The community is both relieved and delighted with the reopening of our local pub.
“We are especially grateful to the family who have taken on the pub in not the easiest of times. The community is behind them and wishes them every success for the future.”
Also present was businessman and pub enthusiast Joshua Church, of Cockermouth, who is leasing the Drove directly to Tom and Claire, who moved to Lazonby six years ago.
Tom said: “We have always loved the Drove and I’ve nearly been involved with it a few times but it never quite happened — it’s almost as if it was written in the stars for us to take over now. We’re keeping the Drove very much as it is, but a little bit lighter and brighter,” said Claire. “It’s the same place it was, but ours.”
Helping them out in the pub are their sons Jack, 15, who is working alongside Tom in the kitchen when he can, and 11-year-old Oscar, who is in charge of the pool table.
Looking ahead, Tom and Claire believe one of their main priorities is to bring back into use the six rooms in the pub which accommodated guests for many years but have not done so for some time.
“They need quite a bit of work but a lot of it is cosmetic stuff,” said Claire, adding that they hope to start taking bookings for three of the rooms by January or February and reopen the others by next spring.
Another plan is to open a mini village shop offering essentials such as bread, milk and sausages in what was a little used bar area in the upstairs part of the pub. “It will be a business, but we also want to be part of the local community,” said Claire, who is an illustrator by trade.
She will be looking after the pub’s rooms, social media and bookings, plus working behind the bar and in the restaurant area, while Tom concentrates on providing food.
He has been a chef for 23 years, working in London and Portsmouth as well as Cumbria, including Michelin starred premises.
Both added that they had received wonderful support since the reopening, with an estimated 400 or so customers dropping in during its first four days.
The pub is open on Wednesday and Thursday evening; on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for lunch and in the evening; and on Sunday from lunchtime to 6pm.
