Weeping Willow, Barrow set to open after major renovation
The newly renovated Weeping Willow, in Barrow, has been brought back to life by florist Paula Pryke OBE and husband and architect Peter Romaniuk, and is set to open on September 29.
The Barrow country pub dates back to the early 16th century and is recorded as one of the oldest buildings in the village.
Having been closed for the past three years, Paula and Peter purchased the derelict pub two years ago and have spent the past nine months restoring, expanding and redecorating the building, as well as redeveloping the extensive gardens at the rear of the inn.
Thanks to Paula, Peter and their team, Weeping Willow’s visitors can enjoy anything from a homemade scotch egg and a pint, through to a selected local tasting menu with ingredients plucked from their own garden.
There are historic elements of the interior interspersed with modern architectural design and the dining room offers fantastic 90-degree views of the surrounding gardens, as well as a ‘Chefs Table’ style, fully open kitchen.
The newly appointed head chef Nick Claxton-Webb has worked across some of the most renowned restaurants in Suffolk, including The Leaping Hare and Ickworth Hotel, where he also first worked with Weeping Willow manager, Martin Edwards.
Owner Peter Romaniuk says of the renovated pub: “As there’s been a pub on the site for in excess of 500 years, with many great memories for a multitude of locals and visitors alike, the anticipation for us to add to its history and indeed memories is eagerly awaited.
“We are trying to create a great pub and restaurant, which caters for both the locals as well as visitors to the village. With six-draft ale pumps offering a host of real ale beers, as well as a range of lagers, ciders and stouts we’re also offering a cocktail bar and an extensive range of wines to suit all pockets, and a range of non-alcoholic drinks, there’s bound to be something for everyone. Coffee and teas will be available at all times of the day and indeed we hope to create a regular morning and afternoon tea clientele.
“Under our new head chef Nick Claxton-Webb, Weeping Willow will offer an informal dining experience and cater for all appetites at varying costs, from the humble ham, eggs and chips through to Lobster Thermidor. Being Suffolk based, we’re blessed with amazing produce making our menu that much more exciting as we will only be using the finest ingredients our County has to offer; provenance and seasonality is key to everything we will do here.
“We hope to maintain the ambiance of a good quality country pub with the excitement of a kitchen and restaurant working at full stretch to create a perfect experience for all our customers no matter if they’ve just come in for a simple pint, a sandwich or a taster meal with an accompanying flight of wine.
To reserve a table, please call: 01284 771881 or contact the team on the website: www.theweepingwillow.co.uk