Warwick shakes off winter blues with clutch of new ventures

Dilia Scott, well-known for running the historic Roebuck pub with her husband Michael, has agreed to take over the license of the pub and restaurant which closed between Christmas and New Year and is now undergoing a £150,000 refurbishment.

Punch Taverns still owns the pub but has let it on a long lease which Mrs Scott expects to give her chance to really turn the place around, catering for both visitors to the centre of the town as well as locals.

She said: “Michael and I will run The Tilted Wig as a joint enterprise with my name over the door here while he will continue to run the Roebuck in Smith Street.

Dilia, who was born in Maderia but remembers The Tilted Wig as a young woman living in Warwick, added: “It could be the first week in June by the time we reopen - earlier if we can manage it - but then we hope to restore the pub to how I remember it, perhaps doubling the number of staff over time.”

There is still no news of the Elephant and Castle in Emscote Road reopening although the Punch Bowl in The Butts, which closed two weeks ago, does have new tenants who expect to open early next month.

In Jury Street, women’s fashion shop owner Sharon Daniels has opened a new menswear shop further up the street called Jacks of Warwick. Mrs Daniels also owns the nearby ‘I Do’ occasion-wear business.

Round in Old Square a new delicatessan, Barkers Deli and More, has just opened, while in Market Place the former Eternal Bridge shop is under offer, along with the former post office in Westgate House, Brook Street, which has been empty for the past four years.

And while Castle Trains is moving from Smith Street to Warwick Street in Leamington - as reported on today’s front page - a new baby and nursery shop is poised to take its 
place.

Sue Butcher, chair of the Warwick Chamber of Trade said: “It’s sad that a niche shop like Castle Trains is going but good that the premises will be reopening again almost immediately with new ideas.

“As for the rest of the changes in Warwick, I think they show that people have got confidence in this being a great little town to do business in.”

n All this month, Graham Todd of the town’s promotion group Warwick Rocks is producing a daily blog about shopping in the area, starting with his sadness at not being able to easily find an independent coffee shop open on Sunday but going on to praise the Market Hall museum as a great place for kids.

Graham reports that the date has now been set for the first Warwick Rocks Food and Film Festival, as it will be called, which will this year run from August 17 right up until August 25.

Town barber Paul Evans, local man John Martin and county council press officer Jack Linstead are all involved in organising the event.