TWO brothers have promised to restore a popular Cliviger pub to its former glory.

Robin and Steve Reid have snapped up the Kettledrum Inn, Red Lees Road, after it was on the market for more than two years.

The brothers, who have spent most of their lives in the village, backed by investor Steve Crawford, are planning a ‘substantial’ makeover for the venue in the New Year.

The three owners, who paid £150,000 to buy the pub from Punch Taverns, will start a re-fit in January with a view to a grand re-opening at the end of the month.

Robin, 52, said although investment in the pub trade was ‘a risk’, he was confident the Kettledrum could still be a success. He said: “We think there is still a business there to be had based on good beer, good food and good service.

“We see it as a chance to stamp our mark on the local area. We’ve lived here, we know the community and we know the customer base and we’ll be trying to take advantage of that.

“It’s become dilapidated like a lot of old country pubs and we have to make it a good, comfortable place to visit again.”

Mr Reid, who was due to meet architects yesterday to discuss improvements to the pub’s infrastructure, said the refurbishment would create several new jobs. He said: “It’s been trading even through bad times and that’s a good thing for us as it shows the potential is there.

“Sadly the kitchen has disappeared but we’ll be working on bringing that back. There is a difference between what we really want to do and what we can actually afford to do, so it’ll be a balancing act but the investment will be significant.” Robin’s own firm, SP Contracts, of School Lane, Cliviger, which specialises in hotel and pub re-fits, will carry out the work.

Steve is a course leader in music and multimedia at Burnley’s University of Central Lancashire campus, and also runs Doc Redeye Events, which co-organises the Burnley Rock and Blues Festival.

He is also a manager, song-writer and producer for a host of local artists and runs his own record label.

The Kettledrum is named after the racehorse owned by Burnley’s Charles Towneley that won the 1861 Epsom Derby. The pub was built the same year.

Regulars have included ex-Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and ex-Burnley FC boss Stan Ternent, who namechecked the pub in his book, Stan the Man: A Hard Life in Football.