Old Sleaford pub renamed and resurrected in new venture

Last orders were called on The Marquis of Granby on Westgate some years ago and at one stage it looked like it would be converted into housing or a bed and breakfast.

However, businessman Upendra Poudel has invested the last seven months in renovating and refurbishing the building and renaming it The Barracks Inn.

He and his family held its official reopening ceremony with Mayor of Sleaford Coun Dave Darmon on Thursday evening (July 2).

Mr Poudel explained: “I had a restaurant down in London before the Covid pandemic but it closed because of the lockdowns.

"I then bought a house to live in Grantham and was looking around the area for a business to invest in. My friend owns a few pubs in London and bought this building and asked me if I was interested, which I was.”

Although having experience in the hospitality trade he confesses it is his first pub, but has spent the last few months completely refitting it. He said on the interior decoration: “We’ve tried to capture some of the history of Sleaford. We have collected around 40 historic pictures of the town to put on the walls.”

Upendra says some visitors who remember the pub as it used be notice the bar has moved from the centre of the room, opening it up, but have been pleased to see the old venue given a new lease of life after all these years.

Having opened a couple of weeks ago he is offering an area for locals to drop in and relax, enjoy a drink, watch sport or listen to music, but also offers a dining area serving a range of authentic pub food, as well as Nepalese and Indian dishes.

Employing around six people, including a very experienced head chef, he said: “We have a good team who are all excited at what we are doing here, being the first pub to open in Sleaford for years, especially when it is a tough time for the industry with the cost of living affecting customers’ pockets.”

He recommended reserving a table for food at the moment as lots of people are booking to try out the new place in town. “Customers have been very happy and everyone is loving the food,” he said.

Reflecting upon the change of name – The Barracks Inn, Upendra commented: “We are from Nepal and my late uncle was a Gurkha in the British Army. I have learned there are so many retired and serving Armed Forces personnel in this area who may have served alongside the Gurkhas, I wanted to honour that shared military history.”