New Wetherspoon to open in Newbury

The Hatchet in the Market Place will open its doors to the public tomorrow (Tuesday)

A NEWBURY chainsaw sculptor and carpenter has created two wooden pieces for the town's latest pub venture, a Wetherspoon set to open tomorrow (Tuesday).

Nick Speakman of 3d Wood, based in Hermitage, was asked by The Hatchet pub in Market Place to make the creations for the pub and so was inspired by the past to carve a woodman and a giant storytelling chair.

Mr Speakman said that years ago, woodsmen would have gathered in the pub after work and so that was the inspiration behind his woodman.

He said this was especially true as the pub was next to the Corn Exchange where a lot of trade in Newbury would have been conducted.

"It (the pub) was a renowned pub for people working in the forestry industry in Newbury.

"It (the wiry woodman) depicts what men would have looked like."

For the wiry woodman he was given just a four day deadline in which to create it and he said: "Luckily I had the timber already.

"I thought, oh my god, that's a lot of work to do in that time but I enjoyed the challenge."

He also said many people in the olden days would have told stories in pubs, which was his inspiration for the chair.

The carvings, which were started off with a chainsaw and finished with hand tools, are made out of locally sourced Western Red Cedar.

Mr Speakman added: "There's now a plaque there saying something about all the pieces.

"I feel very honoured about it.

"I have had stuff on public display before but that was quite an opportunity for me really.”

The £1.65m re-developing of the former Berkshire Tavern is set to create 70 jobs and the new-look pub will feature one bar, a beer garden to the rear of the premises, and a car park.

It will specialise in real ales, serving a wide range of beers, including those from local and regional brewers.

Also set to open is a two-bedroom hotel at the rear of the pub at 12 Market Place, which the firm converted from a derelict dwelling known as Ivy Cottage.

JD Wetherspoon had initially wanted to demolish Ivy Cottage for extra parking spaces but public outcry in the Newbury Weekly News forced a U-turn from the pub chain, who committed £30,000 to its redevelopment.

Over at another Wetherspoon pub in the town, The Diamond Tap in Cheap Street a cider festival is going to be held.

It runs for 11 days from Thursday, July 21 until Sunday, July 31 inclusive and will feature 12 different varieties.