'Scrimmies' back open as couple vow to prove doubters wrong

A Stoke-on-Trent pub best known by its nickname has reopened - and the "passionate" new owners are determined to prove the doubters wrong. Hayley and Davey Boote have bought the Kings Head, in Smallthorne, and somehow managed to throw open the doors less than two weeks after picking up the keys.

The couple, who have two young children - aged eight and 13, have been working around the clock with the support of their family to give the boozer a fresh new look. The Ford Green Road pub is better known as Scrimmies - after legendary landlady Hannah Scrimshaw.

Hayley, 40, says they will be embracing the history of the venue in what is her and 39-year-old husband Davey's first pub venture. She told Stoke-on-Trent Live: "We saw this come up for sale, looked around it and thought let's go ahead with it.

"It's a new venture for us. My husband is an electrician and I have worked in hospitality before but we've never run our own pub.

"It's all very new to us but we do know a bit about the industry. We've turned it around from a dated building to a modern new look.

"I know there will be trolls saying you've wasted your money but I love Stoke-on-Trent. I'm really passionate about it and creating a place for the community - we're open to any ideas people have."

Hayley, originally from Packmoor, shared her vision to create a community boozer that will serve affordable family meals in the future as well as being a venue for local bands. "We're going to be wet-led for the moment but in the future we have plans for a kitchen and to offer simple meals that are affordable for families," she explained.

"It's something that's needed for this area. It's a traditional working class pub and we will have workers coming in so we're hoping to get it back to what it was - a thriving community pub.

"We are going to put local bands on eventually and are hoping to get Sky Sports back in place as soon as we can. We only picked up the keys last Tuesday so it's been a small window to get the pub open.

"We've been working from early morning to late at night. With two children it's been hard to balance everything but my dad has been a gem painting the whole of downstairs.

"All the seats have been re-upholstered and there is a completely new colour scheme and fresh logo. We're away of the history and the pub being known as 'Scrimmies' - it's something we're embracing."

As well as offering mainstream lagers and ciders, Hayley said the pub would be serving Titanic Brewery Plum Porter and Bass Brewery ale along with flavoured gins, vodkas and rums, and a wide selection of non-alcoholic options.

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