Wetherspoon’s transformation and regeneration of an historic coaching inn have captured the essence of the community – past and present.
Wetherspoon’s new pub and hotel in Great Malvern, The Foley Arms Hotel, opened at the beginning of December, following a £2.2-million redevelopment project.
The 1810 building, a fine example of a Georgian coaching inn, has been a feature of the Victorian spa town for 200 years.
The new pub and hotel continue to provide a focal point in the community, with the renovation encompassing input, in particular, from a local business and a nearby school.
Pupils at The Chase, in Malvern, were invited to produce artwork for the new hotel. Year-8 and year-10 art students submitted paintings and drawings, depicting views of the town, to decorate the walls.
A total of 45 framed artwork pieces is now on display, one in each of the 23 bedrooms and the rest distributed in hallways and reception areas around the building. The pupils visited the hotel to see their work on display.
The Morgan Car Company has been an integral part of Malvern’s life for the past century, with Morgan sports cars being manufactured in the town since 1910.
To celebrate this history, there are various items of Morgan Car Company memorabilia on display in The Foley Arms Hotel, including a scaled model pedal-car of the iconic Morgan Threewheeler.
As part of the official opening of the pub and hotel, the car company also displayed a line-up of their vehicles outside of the premises, with four cars on show from the traditional and aero range.