The Carlton Tavern was the pub that came back from the dead after it was bulldozed by developers just as the building was on the cusp of being listed. Now, I catch up with owners Tom Rees and Ben Martin as they explain their big idea for the pub.
The Carlton Tavern was knocked down in 2015, just as work from Heritage England was underway to document the site and introduce it to "listed" status. In the aftermath, following a heroic campaign from local residents, the pub was ordered to be rebuilt "brick-for-brick". And today, in 2022, the pub as it once existed has been opened for a year.
I spoke to Tom Rees and Ben Martin, who now own the pub, to find out how they're making good on the campaign.