THE White Horse Inn in Bradford-on-Tone is set to reopen later this month.

The village’s only pub appears to have been acquired by husband and wife team Jon and Millie Coward, who plan to reopen its doors to the public on Wednesday, March 20.

The news broke after a notice, signed off by Jon and Millie, appeared in the pub’s window before being shared on social media. It read: “We will be reopening the White Horse at 5 pm on Wednesday, March 20 with food to swiftly follow once our new kitchen team is in place.

“We plan to open from 9am everyday moving forward and will remain open all day.

“Once the kitchen team is in place we will be serving food from noon until 2.30pm and dinner from 5pm until 9.15pm, along with an amazing Sunday lunch selection.

“We hope to bring in a breakfast offering soon and are planning lots of weekly and monthly special food events.

“We will be serving Exmoor Teas and Brazier coffee and of course local real ale alongside our bar offering of larger and cider.

“Our wine selection has been thoughtfully composed by Paddy Magil of Vine Wines in Taunton, someone who you’ll be seeing a lot of.

“We’re all very excited to be given the opportunity to get the White Horse back to its former glory and look forward to meeting you all soon.”

The latest move marks a fresh expansion in Jon and Millies’ pub empire. The couple recently acquired the former Orchard Inn in Hillcommon before reopening it as The Royal Oak in December.

The purchase was said to have been a joint enterprise with local former jockey Tom Malone, who also runs a bloodstock agency from his Heathfield Farm nearby.

It came after the Orchard’s sudden closure after 20 years of trading left Mr Malone without a ‘local’ pub, prompting him to get in touch with the Cowards to get the doors back open.

Jon and Millie also own The Bear Inn in Wiveliscombe, The Martlett Inn in Langford Budville, the Milverton Cricket Clubhouse and the Lamb and Flag at Blagdon Hill.

The couple were able to steer their businesses through Covid - while other pubs closed as a result of the lockdown - The Bear Inn’s outdoor bar and marquee, complete with sofas, proved to be a big hit.

The Bear also has its own brewery, producing local ales, including Goldihops and the popular winter-warming Polar Bear.

The White Horse inn is said to be a 17th century former coachhouse, which in a listing by WhatPub was said to be “a friendly village pub” heated by log fires in the winter time.

Last year the pub played host to the village’s iconic Strawberry Fair event for the first time, which was said to have helped raise money for the church, village hall and the community shop.

News of the pub’s reopening was met with delight on social media, with one resident commenting: “Brilliant to know our pub is coming back.”