The Pendle Witch in Sabden undergoes £40K refurbishment

The Pendle Witch, in Whalley Road, Sabden, was closed for around seven weeks while its interiors were ripped out and redecorated.

The landlords, Jilly and Damian Fielding, who took over in February, think it is the first time in more than 40 years that the pub has been ‘properly’ refurbished.

Inside The Pendle Witch in Sabden, which has been refurbished (Image: Jilly Fielding)

Jilly said: “It was seven weeks of flat out work and 18 hours days, refurbishing the pub.

“I have lived in the village for around eight years and have watched the pub deteriorate.

“We’ve turned a badly run down pub back into a really lovely village country pub.

“If we didn’t make these renovations the pub wouldn’t have survived.”

The pub has been modernised, while still keeping some of its notable and historic features.

Inside The Pendle Witch in Sabden, which has been refurbished (Image: Jilly Fielding)

Several layers of wallpaper have been stripped back, it has undergone an industrial clean, with a new and modern bar, the kitchen has been fitted with new appliances and the outdoor area has new benches and an updated smoking area.

A focal point of the pub is the log burner fire place which has been nicknamed ‘the cosy corner’.

Jilly said: “Everybody absolutely loves the ‘cosy corner’. This will make a massive difference during the colder months.

“The bar looks quite Mediterranean now, while also keeping the historic features of the pub – you can still tell it is the Pendle Witch though.”

Inside The Pendle Witch in Sabden, which has been refurbished (Image: Jilly Fielding)

Jilly said opening day was incredibly busy with punters queuing outside the door before it even opened.

She said customers have been amazed at the transformation, travelling from surrounding villages to visit.

The Pendle Witch in Sabden while being refurbished (Image: Jilly Fielding)

“The reaction we have had from the community has been unbelievable,” she said. “They have thanked us for bringing the pub back to life and turning it into a lovely place to have a drink and socialise.

“I was nearly crying while speaking to customers.

“We now host some live entertainment but we pick and choose the acts carefully.

Inside The Pendle Witch in Sabden, which has been refurbished (Image: Jilly Fielding)

“It is the ideal place to come and have a quiet drink with background music in the lounge. We will also be playing some sports on the TV and our pool team is back.

“In the future we will also be offering food.”

Jilly said there is a lengthy list of people she wants to thank for their help in bringing the pub back to life.

She said: “We want to say a massive thank you to our friends and community that helped throughout this refurbishment.

“We also want to thank customers from local and surrounding villages for their ongoing support.

“We want to thank Sarah Atherton and Caroline Royale from La Bella Mozzarella, Paul Heathcote, Louise Cunningham, Mark Robinson, Jake Edwardson, David Moore, and many other people.”