Locals from Wilmington, near Dartford, gathered at Shepherd Neame’s The Orange Tree last week to toast its official re-opening after a £200,000 refurbishment.
Licensees Paul Silk-Sleafer and Amie Johnson with Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame outside The Orange Tree
The traditional community pub has new licensees — local couple Paul Silk-Sleafer and Amie Johnson — as well as a stylish new look.
It now has three distinct areas, catering for a range of customers — a renovated main bar, snug, and games room. These all boast new décor and refurbished furniture, while also retaining original features. The spacious sun trap garden has also been refreshed with new planters, and there is now seating on the forecourt.
The pub reopened to customers a month ago, with Paul, 45, who grew up in the village, and partner Amie, 44, at the helm. The couple took the plunge to start running their first pub together, using savings they had collected for a wedding. But they haven’t regretted it for a second.
“It’s the first pub I ever drank in,” said Paul. “It felt like a homecoming for all of us. I thought, if you’re going to do it, this is the time — and luckily, Amie agreed.”
Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame said: “We are delighted to have found Paul and Amie — they are like gold dust. To get somebody who is local and understands the community is so important in the pub world. All the planets have aligned here!”
To mark the occasion, Jonathan presented a cheque of £1,000 to Kevina Goodchild, community fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. The charity was chosen as Orange Tree team member Carly Trew’s daughter Bailey, who will be two next month, has cystic fibrosis. Carly ran the London Marathon recently for the charity.
