Dereham's Railway Tavern undergoing improvements

Paul Sandford of the Railway Tavern in Yaxham Road said spending money on the project was a "gamble" but one he felt he had to take. 

Mr Sandford said: “It is a gamble because we are in a cost of living crisis, but we are always looking to improve.

“We are extremely optimistic that things will get better as the year goes on.

“You cannot stand still, it is not the same as it was 15 years ago when we started, you have to make improvements.

"You cannot expect people just to walk through the door anymore you have to give them a reason to give you their custom. 

“People might think I’m mad investing in hospitality right now, but this is my baby.”

The transformation will include removing a marquee at the front of the pub, which was put up during teh pandemic, returning the area to a car park.

A play area is also being removed and a new one will be installed before the Easter holidays.

The pub is also opening three rooms to let on Airbnb.

Work on the barn conversion, which was approved before the pandemic, will start in October, and another marquee at the back of the pub will also be removed, after the bookings that have already been made for it have been fulfilled.

Inside one of the new rooms at The Railway Tavern in Dereham (Image: Paul Sandford)

The marquee at The Railway Tavern is being removed - as part of the improvement work to the pub (Image: Paul Sandford)

Mr Sandford said the work was meant to start just after Christmas, but was delayed due to an “unusually busy January.”

He said the plans came on top of improving the pub's access to sports channels, a return to pre-pandemic opening hours, and the installation of new fryers adn extractors, so more gluten-free food can be served. 

The changes mean the pub and its fish and chip shop will be closed Monday, giving staff a chance to recover from the weekend. But if a big sporting event is on, the pub will still  open its doors.