OVER 80 residents in Corsley celebrated the reopening of the Cross Keys pub at the weekend, which lies in the heart of the village.

The pub, in Lye’s Green, was sold by Wadworth in January but villagers chipped in to buy it back from the brewery and around 40 people put in over 1,000 hours of free labour to get the pub up to standard.

On Saturday, the pub’s owners welcomed punters to try the new range of beers and enjoy some nibbles prepared by a resident.

Neil Carpenter, who co-ordinated the refurbishment, said: “It was a brilliant weekend and we’ve already been through four barrels of beer which is some going.

“Everyone is really impressed with how nice it looks and the village as a whole is pleased to have its pub back.

“We were up until very late on Saturday night enjoying the range of beers on offer but everyone still managed to make it out of bed on Sunday morning for the annual cricket match between Corsley and Chapmanslade, which Corsley won again.

"There were some very tired runs made by the batsmen, that's for sure.

“The pub has always been a big part of the village and played an important role in the community, which is why so many people were keen to get stuck in.

"We look forward to seeing the pub become an integral part of the community once again."

When Wadworth announced plans to close the pub, a petition was started which received 180 signatures and raised the amount of money needed to purchase the pub.

The sale was completed on April 29 and villagers worked flat out to get it ready for the weekend.

To contact the pub, call 01373 832406.