Welcome to the Woods End

FROM dealing with demanding away fans at a hotel in the centre of Ipswich to an idyllic riverside pub on the Norfolk Broads, it’s been a big change for the new couple in charge at the Woods End. Phil George and Paula Kirk took over here a month ago, but spent the first two weeks on a thorough clear out. In came the plumbers, out went the carpets.Ten skips have been filled with the detritus from this huge, magnificent boozer on the banks of the Yare. Longer term, says Paula, the plan is to extend the kitchen and have a second restaurant in a big function room upstairs. But for this summer at least they’ll concentrate on slowly but surely getting the word out. And what about my “boots as well as boats” manifesto? In other words will they look after Wherryman’s Way walkers who tend to arrive at a closed pub during the morning, gasping for a cup of tea? Well Paula’s on the case. Once all the paperwork is done, she says, they’ll get a licence to open up early. Good stuff eh? Oh and they bought a copy of my book. Well, with the Woods End on the front cover, it would have been rude not to….