17th Century pub reopens as 'something different'

A pub which can trace its history back to the 17th Century is reopening after being closed for three years.

The Blue Ball Inn in Triscombe, nestled in the Quantocks, was closed during the pandemic, after a line of landlords were unable to successfully operate the remote venue.

In 2023, planning permission from the now defunct district council to turn the venue into accommodation for 12 people was overturned by the planning inspectorate.

Owner Grant Fowler said his new business model meant it would now only open for events, rather than have traditional opening hours, in an effort to turn a profit.

Opening on 2 May after an extensive renovation and thatching, the site would now operate with external catering firms, and host daytime and evening events such as live music nights and themed "painting and prosecco" evenings.

Mr Fowler said: "We can't staff up and get the stock in and just hope people turn up, we have to pre-book things, create events, and by doing that hopefully people will start liking what we're doing and come and see us.

"We're trying to do something very different. We're not trying to be the traditional pub of being open seven days a week."

He added: "Like every pub in the country we've gone through hard times and we really struggled but now we're ready to reinvent herself and reopen."

"We're in the middle of the Quantocks, it's a beautiful spot, but nobody around us, we're very secluded... so we have to try and attract people in."

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