SIX or so years ago, The Phoenix was a pub on its knees. Few would have been surprised had it been closed for good.

Today though, it is one of the city’s finest locals, having received the affection and care it needed.

Tim Everton and his wife Val, then their daughter Jenny and her partner Jon, have turned The Phoenix into the epitome of what a pub should be – welcoming, homely, and a haven for good beer and good conversation.

This should be a lesson to those who write off the pub industry and underestimate its importance, and an inspiration to those looking to revive flagging pubs.

We wish the new owners well – and may The Phoenix’s bright new era continue.