A HALESOWEN pub has reopened after a three month refurbishment and a campaign to stop it being bulldozed to make way for a supermarket, writes Sam Jackson.

The Swan, Long Lane, was saved in April by Black Country Ales and who own 32 other real ale pubs across the West Midlands.

Thousands of residents and businesses signed petitions during two campaigns to keep the Long Lane pub serving beer instead of being wiped from the map.

Halesowen North Councillor Hilary Bills said: "I am delighted one of my local pubs is reopening after a long fight to preserve it as a public house.

"And it is even better to see a local historic business having new lease of life."

Jon and Lorraine Mather are the new landlords and have been in the pub trade since 1998.

Mr Mather said: “It’s become quite upmarket from what it used to be, and I think we’ll get some really good customers coming back regularly.

“The ale side of the business should absolutely fly. I definitely think we’ll get plenty of people from far away coming in.”

Angus McMeeking, the director of BCA, was optimistic about the future of The Swan especially after seeing the success of The Whitley, Stourbridge Road.

He said: “We are very hopeful the locals will use it in some style.

"Lorraine and her team have been hard at work readying for the first customers, and the building looks immaculate after an extensive and expensive refurbishment.

"Eight hand pulls and a really interesting selection of ales await all those who feared the worst when the pub was threatened with closure and conversion to a convenience store last year.

Former Halesowen North councillor Jeff Hill, who campaigned to keep the pub open, said: “The reopening of The Swan is testament to the hundreds of people who signed my petition to prevent it being replaced with a convenience store. Without them it would have been lost forever.

“Black Country Ales have done a fantastic job of refurbishing it, and I hope that it will once again be at the heart of the local community."

Andrew Burford, who has lived next door to the Swan for 20 years, added: “It’s quite nice inside; they’ve done a very good job.

"I’m a real ale drinker myself, so actually having proper beer rather than cheap lager is a lot better.”

Follow The Swan on Twitter @swanhalesowen.