Welcome back Woolpack

Welcome back Woolpack!

The Sage has previously chronicled the dolorous tale of one of his local pubs burning down resulting in a 50% reduction in drinking outlets in Stoke Mandeville, the drawback of living in a small village. The Woolpack burnt down in the small hours of Saturday morning 25th April 2009. Apparently a tumble drier was left on a timer after the pub was locked up for the night and the fluff / lint caught fire. An object lesson for all of us, always make sure you de-fluff first and never go to bed leaving yours spinning away.

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2009/04/woolpack-stoke-mandeville.html


The way we were

The local paper The Bucks Herald reported at the time;

“THE Woolpack pub and restaurant in Stoke Mandeville has been destroyed by a huge fire. he building was described by Bucks Fire and Rescue as 100 per cent damaged by the blaze. Fire fighters were called to the pub, in Risborough Road, at 3.37am on Sunday morning.


Woolpack ablaze last April...


.... and afterwards

It took more than four hours for the fire to be extinguished, and crews are likely to be at the scene for 'some considerable time' yet. Gas cylinders were removed from the two-storey building. Ten crews from Aylesbury, Winslow, Princes Risborough, High Wycombe, Great Missenden and Amersham attended the scene.”


Rebuilding underway

Well in a resurrection which would have made Lazarus proud the newly refurbished Woolpack reopened for business on the 6th November 2009, less than 6 months after it was a 100% loss in the disastrous fire. This is in itself a minor miracle of project management, particularly as the woolpack was both a thatched and listed building. Inside it looks much as before but there is a distinct improvement externally and internally. The toilet annexe on the left hand side of the front elevation always had a “stuck on look.” This has been now tidied up with the exterior showing a traditional looking dark weatherboarding and improved toilets inside with the side corridor gone.


The old sign - with the happy sheep

Otherwise the interior is much the same as before which is no bad thing, traditional with a certain blingly panache. The menu is also much the same as before, not too cheap, but good big plates of fresh food well cooked with a continental twist. The only grump I have is that salads are listed under the poesy heading of leaves! Seeing this and the equally poesy “Breakfast Goods” on a gastro pub menu always sends my toes into an uncontrollable spasm of curling. One final note; Spend Xmas Day at home as the Wolly is booked out!

Otherwise Welcome back Woolpack!

http://www.woolpackstokemandeville.co.uk/


The new sheep free sign - Baa!!Baa!!