Spread Eagle at Wragby reopening after seven years

John and Helen Kowalawski have spent four weeks cleaning and sprucing up the Samuel Smith’s pub near Nostell ahead of the reopening at 5pm on Friday November 12.

They have been busy fixing a number of problems.

The cooling system in the cellar had to be replaced and a stone flagged floor had sunk in one of the bars and had to be re-laid.

They said the garden was "like a jungle" and has been cut back and tidied and will soon be a beer garden again.

They have also ripped out the old kitchen and replaced it.

The couple are planning to start serving bar snacks and meals plus Sunday dinners in the next couple of months.

John and Helen have been running a café in Rochdale for the past 11 years and before that they ran two pubs in Rochdale for a total of nine years.

John previously spent 13 years working in catering in in London. He was part of a team of that cooked for 300 people including the then Prince Charles at an event in Guildford.

Helen worked at Boots in Rochdale for 25 years before going in to the pub trade.

The couple said they signed up for the Spread Eagle because they wanted a change of area and like the rural location.

John said: "Everyone is quite excited that it is reopening. We have had quite a few people stop by saying they are looking forward to it.

"The area is gorgeous and the people are really nice."

"We are really excited, We can't wait. We are really looking forward to getting to know everybody."