The Bridge opens on Monday

We are delighted to announce that the Bridge Inn will re-open after its major refurbishment on Monday 19th May at lunchtime. Ken and Linda and all the new team will be pleased to welcome you to the new-look pub so pop in, wish them well and enjoy a drink or a meal. The new furniture and fittings look splendid and Audlem will once again be able to boast it's a three pubs village.

The conservatory project to the rear of The Bridge will take another three weeks to complete but, in the meantime, there will be a full meal service. Ken and Linda have put an enormous effort into re-shaping the pub – which will be a million miles away from its previous operation – and it's good to see local licensees taking over. We are sure all will wish them well.

The re-opening of The Bridge is yet another sign that Audlem is bucking the national rural trend with its village businesses. While all too many villages have been struggling, in the past two years or so we've seen a major investment in the Lord Combermere; the re-opening of the Old Priest House after a fire; the new Coffee Lounge at the Salad Bowl; the re-opening of the Mill Shop under new management on Audlem Wharf with a craft floor added to the traditional canal shop; the Post Office surviving the nation-wide cull of post offices; the Co-op opening as a much larger and attractive business and the opening of Village Feeds in the Square.

On top of that, a Tourist Information Centre has been added to the services at Williams' newsagents and the ownership of the chemists has changed successfully. There's even two new business premises now available following the building of Moseley's Yard. There can't be many rural communities that can boast a record like that.

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