A PUB rich in history has been reverted to its past name to reconnect it with its roots.
Sportsmans Inn, in Bishop Auckland, has kicked back to its previous name, and owner Christian Burns said that he's excited to bring the old name back to life once again.
The pub has been open for serving with outside seating in adherence with the Covid guidelines, and now Mr Burns said he can't wait to have people seated inside after all this time once again.
Mr Burns, who has owned the site since 2016, said: "I'm over the moon. I know people would definitely rather drink in a warm pub than be sitting in torrential rain.
"This pub was always called the Sportsman, it's 600 years old, and it's a fantastic bar.
"The history of this place in relation to the town is unreal, and I want to actually delve into that over the next couple of years and put a historian on it, because this was even here before the town hall and most of these buildings.
"The six Durham Light Infantry's would not only have meetings here, but they would come here before they were shipped out.
"It has unique relationships with so many different people, and I wanted to build on that after the Merry Monk had done a great job of reacquainting people with this fabulous building."
"It's the oldest building in County Durham to have a licence next to The Bay Horse, but my understanding is The Bay Horse was rebuilt in the 1700s, so this is one of the oldest buildings.
"It is haunted, there's no question about it. I've got too many unexplained instances in here, but I live in harmonious synchronisation with them - they're around me all the time, and I thank them for that."
Mr Burns has added pieces of interest throughout the pub after looking at colour schemes and decor suitable for the atmosphere.
Pictures and drawings on display show phases of the pub throughout history, and the bar has been completely transformed.
He added: "What we've got is a town that's transforming back over, it's history is phenomenal.
"We are, next to Durham, one of the most talked about towns in the books of history, and we're going to make these pubs attractions for not just local people, but for people visiting the town, and they can come in here and enjoy a bar that's been around longer than their forefathers."
On the people who helped make the project possible, he added: "I've got to say thank you to the landlords who got hold of it in 2009 and made it whole again, put it back together, and made it watertight.
"We've been supported by great people, by the likes of the government, and we've benefitted from it, so much so that in the lockdown period we have addressed the issues in the bars where we could do small refurbishments, stock replenishments, and refurnishing things, and that's what we've done here.
"We've had great support from the local authority, and the police have been very supportive as well.
"I must thank all of the staff, who are so passionate about this place, which you can see when they arrive.
"Customers have been the greatest asset and support - they've flooded back, they've enjoyed what we've done, they like the atmosphere that we create, and they've given me a business, and for that I can't thank them enough.
"It may be a plain old hostelry, but it means a lot to me. The (Merry) Monk that it was is still there, but the Sportsman now continues that great tradition of 600 years of entertaining Bishop Auckland people."
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