The Squirrel Dinnington: This is when popular Rotherham pub is set to re-open, four years after closure
The owner of a popular South Yorkshire pub, set to re-open four years after its closure, has confirmed when he expects to open again.
The Squirrel, in Dinnington, closed back in 2020, and at one stage looked set to be replaced by a supermarket on the Laughton Road site that it has occupied for years.
But after over a year of work, its new owner says he now expects the first pints in four years to be served at the venue during the second week of December.
The last touches are currently being put in place before the South Yorkshire pub serves customers for the first time since 2020, says the businessman behind the scheme, Mandeep Khela, known as Jaz.
He said the venue is now on target to open during the week commencing Sunday, December 8, although he said has not yet confirmed which day of that week.
Jaz had originally hoped to open the venue earlier this year, but encountered problems which led to the opening being put back several times.
Now the Sky TV is in place, the beer lines are fitted and will serve beers including Guinness, Peroni, Madri and John Smiths.
The flooring is due to be completed on Monday. The furniture is due to be delivered next week, and the staff have been appointed.
Jaz said: “The response locally has been remarkable. People have been posting messages, and I’ve already got people asking to book the function room. There have been so many messages of support.
“The containers and the builders’ fencing outside the pub are due to be taken away on Tuesday.”
He said he had not realised how much work on the building would be needed when he first took it over, with new wiring and plumbing having been put in place.
There are longer term plans to build a new function room on the upstairs floor, to hold about 30 people, in addition to the existing downstairs function room, which serves over 100.
When Jaz took over the venue, it is understood it had been closed around three years, and plans were at one stage in the pipeline to build a supermarket in the pub's car park, under a scheme which was submitted to Rotherham Council.
Jaz has had to completely rebuild the ceiling of the pub’s lower floor, creating a new metal framed ceiling.