First birthday for community pub
The country pub on the edge of Telford, the Hare & Hounds in Withington, is celebrating a successful year of trading as a freehold community pub under its new owners.
Aaron and his partner Joanne officially opened the doors to the refurbished pub last August and since then have worked tirelessly to create a hub for the community it serves.
The pair have big plans for the pub and want it to remain the heart of the community, welcoming a variety of different groups and getting involved in a multitude of local events.
The pub, on Walcot Road dates back to the 1800s and was previously run by the same family for 28 years. Aaron and Joanne have rebranded it with a new logo, painted inside and out and stripped the floors back to the traditional quarry tiles.
The original bar was reinstated and new fireplaces with log burners and oak beams installed with new terraces front and back to accompany the large beer garden.
Since its opening 12 months ago, Aaron and Joanne have also started hosting speciality Friday food nights with offerings ranging from burgers and fish & chips to pizza, chilli, and curry. They have also started monthly Sunday-filled Yorkshire roasts served in compostable containers and will be starting to add food on weekends from August.
Over the last year, the Hare & Hounds has become home to a lively mix of community groups and events — including the Withington darts team, Bowbrook Archers, local shoots, a weekly Knit & Natter group and Book club, cyclists and a popular golf society that hosts several friendly tournaments each year.
The pub also plays a central role in village traditions, hosting events like the Withington Village Fete, Harvest Festival Auction, and the much-anticipated Boxing Day clay pigeon Shoot.
Aaron, who grew up nearby, spent much of his teenage years and twenties there playing darts and said it had always been his dream to own this particular pub.
“It’s more than just a business — it’s a part of my life, and we were determined to bring it back as a thriving community space. It’s been amazing to see how people have responded.
“People of all ages come to this pub for various reasons, which we love. We have a clear plan for the future and find it so sad that we are reading regularly about village pubs across the county having to shut down. We want the future of this village pub to be a very bright one and help to revitalise the area. I wanted to save this pub from closing as a lack of village pubs and hubs stops people going out and we can see the joy in the community coming together,” said Aaron.
Looking ahead, Aaron and Jo plan to convert the upstairs space into a two-bedroom self-contained holiday let, complete with a racing theme as a fitting tribute to their shared passion and their part-ownership of racehorse Normal Fletcher, who recently made a memorable visit to the pub for a photo (and a pint of Guinness!).
Joanne added: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support from the local community. Whether it’s a midweek pint, Sunday lunch, or a big race day — we love seeing the place full of friendly faces. It’s exactly what a village pub should be.”
Denise Roscoe from Withington is a regular member of the Withington Knit & Natter group which has been meeting and now meets at the pub every Thursday. She said: “When Aaron and Jo took over the Hare & Hounds, they went out of their way to make us feel welcome and even reserved a table for us.
“On Thursdays, there is a great community atmosphere and new customers will find that they are welcome to join in, particularly if they bring their knitting or crochet!”
The pub is open six days a week and closed on Wednesdays.
For more information about The Hare & Hounds, visit www.facebook.com/p/Hare-Hounds-Withington, email info@hareandhoundswithington.co.uk or call 01743 291950.
