New lease of life for Turnpike Inn

A pair of former Wetherspoon managers, who rescued two Enterprise Inns pubs from oblivion last year, are set for a third opening in October.

Hosts Lee Roberts and Sarah Dinning have confirmed they are teaming up with a property developer to breathe new life into the disused Turnpike Inn at Rishworth, West Yorkshire.

The freehouse, which was purchased by developer Adrian Burr, will be a food-led venture specialising in carvery catering, weddings and corporate functions.

Roberts and Dinning already run the Malthouse at Rishworth and the Sun Inn at nearby Lightcliffe.

The couple have doubled turnover at both food-led venues to £20,000 per week, after taking over the venues last October. The former Wetherspoon managers invested £300,000 of their own cash on refurbishments to revitalise the two pubs.

Roberts says the success is down to "putting into practice what we learnt running Lloyds Bars".

He added: "We are delighted to confirm the re-opening of the Turnpike. We hope to show again that pubs with the right retail offering can ride above the gloom."

Meanwhile, developer Burr is set to launch another pub on his own account when the former Queens Hotel, Ripponden, reopens for business this week under its new name, the Honest Lawyer.