A Ramsgate pub which was sold in 2018 with plans to convert it into two homes, with a third on the garage site, has been saved and will reopen on Friday (January 21).
The former Foresters Arms in Boundary Road has been unused since 2018 and plans for the residential conversion faltered.
Now, it will reopen as 50’s themed Fury’s Bar after being bought by Ramsgate couple Linda Goldsmith and Steve Fury last year.
The couple have completely renovated the site to create a fabulous 1950’s themed interior, complete with vintage jukebox.
Linda owned a Ramsgate care home for 23 years before retiring but says boredom prompted her to try a new venture.
The nan-of-14 and great-nan-of-9 said: “I got bored so in 2018 I went after a pub with Punch Pubs and got through to the last bit but was turned down. So, I thought I would buy my own pub.
“My friend who took over the Hare & Hounds said what about the Foresters so we arranged to have a look.”
Former driver and dad-of-five Steve and Linda say they could see the potential of the Foresters building and completed on the purchase last March. A few months later they bought the property next door giving even more capacity for a beer garden.
Linda said: “We took the pub right back to its bare walls, we raised the floor so it is all now on one level, made the bar smaller and we have done the toilets so there is now a dedicated disabled toilet.
“We lowered the ceiling and put lights in. The building has been sound-proofed and we are ready to go.
“It was really run down and dingy and it has taken us some time, we even looked at other pubs but could not see any potential to change them.
“I had a vision of what I wanted in my head. It is all 50s themed, 50s furniture, 50s design tables and chairs. Our staff will wear 50’s clothes. We are not like a traditional pub.”
A planning application has been submitted so Linda and Steve can get a new pub sign installed.
Fury’s Bar, which has also created seven staff jobs, will have live music at the weekends, poker nights, afternoon teas for the over 60s, bingo, a slimming club, dominoes, pool and darts and quiz nights.
Linda said: “It is also child-friendly, we have a sweet machine and soft darts board which my grandchildren have been playing on non-stop!
“We have stopped the pub being turned into houses and now we are ready and waiting to meet lots of people. We hope they will like us and come back.”
Fury’s Bar will open on Friday at midday and there will be meat raffles throughout the day and the weekend. There will also be live music on the Friday and Saturday.
