A HEREFORDSHIRE pub is re-opening after being closed for a number of months.

Locals will be welcomed back into the Bell at Yarpole on December 1 with a celebratory night of fizz, cocktails, and ale.

The pub will operate under limited opening times and its kitchen will be closed for the immediate future; however, a quiz night and several pop-up food events have been planned in the run-up to Christmas.

The Bell closed its doors earlier this year after the tenants left their roles due to health concerns and personal reasons. As the pub is community-owned it will now be run on a voluntary basis until new tenants can be found.

READ MORE:

The Mortimer Community Benefit Society purchased the Bell for £275,000 in 2018, preventing it from being bulldozed to make space for housing.

A number of tenants have taken up the reins since the pub was saved, including Carole Dare and Sally Milsom in 2019 and Dom Brand and Nick Reed in 2020.

A loss of kitchen staff and the effect of national lockdowns forced the pub to close temporarily in 2021.

For a number of months, the Bell was maintained by volunteers and members of the community, who would open the pub for various events and occasions until a new tenant could be found.

The most recent tenant, Iain Dixon, took over the pub in June 2022 after significant refurbishment work was done, and operated as both tenant and head chef until his departure was announced on September 20.

A spokesperson for the Mortimer Community Benefit Society said they are working to keep the pub as fully open as possible for the time being.