Meet the landlord set to take over an historic village pub after seven years of closure – and why he ‘absolutely fell in love’ with it

After more than seven years of closure, a campaign and council intervention – a historic Leicestershire pub is finally set to reopen.

The Cock Inn in Sibson, which is said to be a late haunt of the highwayman Dick Turpin, will reopen in late November this year after closing in 2019.
The 750-year-old building has been the subject of a local campaign by councillors, villagers and MPs to convince the owner, Star Pubs and Bars, to restore the Grade-II-listed building after it began to fall into disrepair.

However, restorative work on the pub began in May after Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) threatened to use enforcement powers to compel Star Pubs and Bars to carry out the work.

This was shortly after a campaign and a 2,500-strong petition by local residents to force Star Pubs and Bars to renovate the pub and reopen it.
Now, Star Pubs and Bars has announced that Tamworth-born-and-bred landlord Jason Billingham will be taking over the premises after he “absolutely fell in love with the character of the building” along with a massive £480,000 refurbishment of the building.

The 40-year-old told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he visited the pub in January and saw just how much potential the building had.He added:

“You’ve got to fall in love with something if you want to take it over. You’ve got to walk in and see a vision when you walk through that door. We loved the space, we loved the beams, the character and the alcoves. It’s not like an open pub. It’s got its own little grooves, and it has a private function room. The kitchen is positioned perfectly for where we want it to be.
We also love the area it’s in, the car park is also huge and for us – it’s important to make sure we get the car parking right if it gets too busy. It’s like seeing a newborn child – you walk in, and you go ‘wow, this is what we want’.”
 

Jason isn’t new to the pub trade.

The businessman told the LDRS he has been in the industry since the age of 14, thanks to his mum, who was also in the hospitality business and currently runs the Wheel Inn in Ticknall, Derbyshire.

Jason’s vision for the pub is to turn the Cock Inn into a gastro-pub, serving quality, locally sourced produce whenever possible, freshly prepared from scratch.

Outside work on the pub will see it repainted and new signage and lighting added, enhancing the centre of Sibson as well as a 45-seater courtyard garden which will be developed at the rear, complete with festoon lighting.

A revamp of the inside of the pub will see all The Cock Inn’s character and charm, retaining the layout with its cosy nooks and snugs, and restoring features such as old flagstone floors and beams.

Pictures of the pub and the area over time will adorn the walls, along with heritage colours, William Morris-style wallpaper, and traditional furniture.
The menu will focus on pub classics while also offering a selection of more gourmet signature dishes. Stone-baked sourdough pizzas and Sunday roasts will be specialities, and the pub will open on Christmas Day, serving a festive menu with all the trimmings.

On the drinks front, customers can look forward to a wide range of options, including barista-quality coffee, cask ales, a carefully curated wine list, cocktails, and spirits from local distilleries. The pub will continue to be dog-friendly, and he hopes the building will also be used for functions like weddings and birthday parties, as well as activities to bring people together, including open mic nights.
Jason told the LDRS that one of his biggest aims is to get the pub open and hire local people so residents can enjoy the historic pub once more.
The reopening will mean 25 jobs will be created, including front and back of house staff with a manager, head chef and sous chef already being hired.

He continued:

“You have to really focus on people and we run it as a family – it’s really important we get it back open for the locals but also those who want to see it as a pub again”.

Craig Foweather, Star Pubs’ investment manager, added:

“We’ve been undertaking a lot of essential repair and renovation works over the past few months and are delighted to finally be breaking ground on the main refurbishment works.
“Jason has a proven track record and is the ideal person to take the helm at The Cock Inn. His plans are spot on; The Cock Inn will be a fantastic local for residents and a destination pub for people from across the wider region.”
Jonathan Collett, one of the campaigners who fought to reopen it, said the campaign and petition were “massive” in helping to complete work on the pub and reopen it.
 “We are absolutely pleased and ecstatic to see it open.
“We just want to see a landmark pub in the hub of the community. It has been badly missed, so we really do need it to open. We’ll just have to wait and see if that actually happens.
“He [Jason] sounds excellent and there are a lot of recommendations from the pub he runs in Ticknall so we’re very excited about him coming in.”