A COUPLE who were scrimping to save for a house, decided to spend the cash saving their favourite pub instead, after it closed down.
Sam Rugman and Ruby Goodman took a leap of faith and moved into The Stallards Inn in Trowbridge, Wiltshire back in February.
Friends and family said they were crazy to take on the business, as they had no prior experience, but the pair were gutted to see their local fall into disrepair and felt like something was missing from the community.
Ruby told Fabulous: “It was a community pub and it was a real shame when it closed down.
“You could see there was something missing from Trowbridge and we had some money saved up for a house deposit, so we decided, if not now, when?”
Sam added: “What’s life without a gamble, mortgage rates being so high meant that buying a house was just as much a money pit as investing into a business in our view!
“At least we can make something worthwhile here!”
Ruby, is a freelance decorator, so knew she had the skills needed to give the place a new lease of life.
She started working on the renovation straight away, and was helped out by sustainability recruiter Sam, when he had spare time.
When the couple first moved into the pub, which they are renting, all of the furniture was covered in mould and the place was riddled with leaks.
They had to completely tear down one of the walls and replaced the roof at the back of the building.
The garden had been overgrowing for years, and Sam said that many locals weren’t even aware that the place even had a beer garden.
Sam said: “It’s probably one of the nicest beer gardens in Trowbridge!”
Ruby said: “It wasn’t in its best light when we took it over, but you could definitely see the potential with it.
“It just needed a bit of TLC.”
The couple did most of the work themselves, with the help of Ruby’s dad, who was a carpenter, and other friends and family members.
Impressively, the duo managed to finish the renovation in just a few months, and the pub reopened its doors in April.
Sam and Ruby plan to renovate the upstairs function room next, and in a few weeks, when the kitchen is complete, will begin serving food.
The couple live in a spacious flat above the pub, which Ruby was sceptical about at first, as locals told them that ghosts inhabit the walls.
However, she said that the place actually has the “nicest atmosphere” and they can’t even hear any rowdiness from downstairs.
What’s life without a gamble?
Sam Rugman
Sam and Ruby said they have had the “most amazing response” from locals, who are so happy to see the pub back up and running.
They’ve had some regulars coming in every day and have managed to attract a new, younger crowd to the pub, which regularly hosts live music events, and even has an old school jukebox.
Ruby said: “It’s just been really cool and so fun to have people come in to our pub and experience exactly what we wanted them to!”
Sam added: “Everyone who had their doubts in the beginning were still super supportive and still are.
“No one wanted to see us fail and I think after seeing what we’ve done that support has only increased!”
Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.
