After years of uncertainty over its future, a Weston-super-Mare pub has been restored ‘to being the heart of the community’ after a comprehensive renovation.

Weston Mercury: Bar manager Graham Davies and owner Pete Tilley.Bar manager Graham Davies and owner Pete Tilley. (Image: Archant)

Milton Road’s Bristol House, which battled the threat of closure for more than five years, has reopened under the direction of businessman Pete Tilley this month.

Proper Job owner Mr Tilley bought the pub in a tired state from Enterprise Inns in the summer after it twice failed to covert the watering hole into a supermarket.

And the new owner has overseen a transformation of the pub – inside and out – which has ‘brought a lovely building into the 21st century’.

Mr Tilley said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the finished product. It’s better than we could ever have expected.

Weston Mercury: The new-look bar at the Bristol House.The new-look bar at the Bristol House. (Image: Archant)

“The level of finish is excellent; it’s modern and contemporary and brought a lovely building into the 21st century.

“The reaction has been very positive and everyone has been happy. The quality of the food and the atmosphere has been superb.

“It’s going back to being the heart of the community, the hub for people to centre around.”

Bar manager Graham Davies said he ‘couldn’t have wished for a better opening’.

He added: “We’ve had so much positive feedback with the food and what we’ve done with the place.”

The Bristol House defeated both the Co-operative and Tesco’s respective conversion bids, thanks largely to the dedicated Save The Bristol House campaign, and Mr Tilley hopes the new-look pub will offer what regulars have been longing for.

He told the Mercury: “For the people that wanted this to remain as a pub, we hope we have given them something they want to use and are proud of. Hopefully they will continue to come back and support the community pub.

“People have been in a tight financial situation for the past ten years or so, but by making this a freehouse we’re able to offer a drinks menu at a much more competitive price point than usual in the area.

“On the food side, we’ve decided not to go down the route of selling microwaved food. Everything is homemade, locally-sourced and fresh, cooked to the highest standard.

“It’s been brilliant so far. On opening night it was standing room only.”