Pub partners signal intent in Cumbria

The owners of the Golden Fleece near Brampton in Cumbria have released new imagery of how the premises will look following a year-long rebuild.

Planning consent has now been granted by Carlisle City Council for the scheme, which has been designed by local architectural practice Ashwood Design Associates.

The existing Golden Fleece Inn at Ruleholme  is to be demolished, to be replaced by a country pub, restaurant, function room, microbrewery, 23 bedrooms – an expansion of 14 on the current set-up – and associated facilities as the owners seek to appeal to a wider range of local, leisure, business and travel customers.

In total the development will offer 23, 457 sq ft of floorspace, have a veranda to two sides, and accommodate parking for 81 vehicles. Clearance work is due to start on site later this month, with the aim of welcoming the first guests in spring 2020. Part of the reasoning behind the development is the imminent start of passenger flights to and from Carlisle Lake District Airport.

Robert and Sylvia Cowan have run the Golden Fleece since 2011, and have now teamed up with business partners David and Roweena Corkill.

Robert Cowan said: “We want to retain the warmth and welcome of the old place but upgrade facilities with a wow factor and something this area just doesn’t have. In our view an excellent new facility can have wider benefits to the local economy and attract further tourism.

“We think this will be a major benefit for the area. Creating something, not quite a phoenix from the ashes, but something much better than was there before. It’s taken a year to get this far. We originally thought we could expand to do more with it.  But after looking at all possibilities the best option was to pull it down to create something completely new.”

The ownership team outside the existing Golden Fleece