Titanic effort to reopen Exchange

Around £50,000 is being poured into reopening a pub in Stone, bucking the trend of closures across the region.

Brothers David and Keith Bott are busy refurbishing the Royal Exchange pub which closed down several months ago.

The Stafford-born brothers, who run Stoke-based Titanic Brewery, are spending the cash on sprucing up the empty watering hole.

Worn out seats are being replaced and dated decor given an overhaul as part of the re-vamp, which is expected to be completed by September.

They are determined to forge ahead with plans to re-open the drinking spot despite a downturn in pub trade.

The smoking ban, rising beer prices and the credit crunch have all been blamed for a succession of pub closures in Staffordshire.

But Mr Bott said the secret to success was to keep pubs traditional and give punters what they wanted.

"We just concentrate on keeping locals how local people like them," he said.

"We are not a TV pub or anything flashy like that, we just give people what they want. We are opening pubs while everyone else is closing them down so we must be doing something right.

"We are also going to take our own beer brewed in Stoke to Stone."