A COUPLE who took a gamble with a run-down Timperley pub have transformed it into a bustling business in full swing.

Tony and Jeanette Witterick have turned around the fortunes of The Old Hall pub, which sits at the 16th hole of Altrincham Golf Course, since taking it over in April.

It was a new experience for the couple, who had never pulled a pint before, but with 70 years of customer service between them, they had the right tools to become successful landlords.

They invested heavily in revamping the exterior and interior and creating that ‘real pub’ atmosphere. And it seems this struck a chord with punters.

The dog-friendly, family-friendly pub has gone from selling five barrels of ale a week to 30 and currently serves 600 plated meals compared to just 50 before the takeover.

And industry bosses are also taking notice. Just weeks after relaunching, The Old Hall was named Marston’s Taverns Pub of the Month for the region.

Tony, a former sales director for Kwik Fit, said: “When we saw the place it was a bit run-down, it didn’t let in children or dogs and shut at 7pm.

“We gave it a contemporary feel without losing its character and thought about what we would like as customers, which we continue to do. The proof is in the pudding; the restaurant is full at the weekends, the Sunday Carvery sells out every week and we took in money from day one.”

After long and successful careers in retail, the duo retired to Spain but were itching to embark on a new business venture. The self-confessed ‘foodies’ starting looking into the restaurant trade after returning to the UK and Tony even trained as a chef to get to grips with the industry.

“We were looking to open a small bistro but then the Old Hall came up and we thought, ‘why not?’. We are both social people and it was in a magnificent spot,” said Tony.

“We could have done it at home in Liverpool but we moved our lives here, we really liked the place and the people.”

And the pub is going from strength to strength. It regularly hosts bands, functions and charity events, with Altrincham’s Loose Change Buskers billed for Saturday September 24 at 7.30pm in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Anyone who would like to enquire about a function (20 to 200 people), should contact The Old Hall on 0161 929 6332 or visit oldhallaltrincham.co.uk.