00:00It was a lot dingier around where the dark bones were and along the window edge.
00:04Now it's a really good community project.
00:09A site of serious crime pulled back from the brink.
00:13It was only last year that the Woodland Tavern was under fire from Kent Police
00:19for unreported assaults and management unresponsive to their concerns,
00:26leaving many regulars putting up their pints for good.
00:31That was until one of the usual customers poured out his heart and soul,
00:37bringing his local back to life.
00:40A few times I got to the point where it was worth carrying on,
00:43but I've persevered through it all and it's improving now.
00:47You can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
00:49It's better now. You can see where I want to take it.
00:52It's going the right way I want to take it.
00:54Running the bar still isn't easy.
00:57Many of the license restrictions that Medway Council put in place remain in effect.
01:03But the manager here hopes that in the coming weeks and months,
01:09they'll be able to prove that the pub is a force for good in the community.
01:13We had the karaoke here Saturday that has come back that wasn't allowed here before
01:18and we had multiple people coming up thanking us for taking it over and running it
01:22because they were avoiding the place because of the previous managers.
01:26Obviously, we're mainly a darts pub, but I grew up in pubs all over Medway.
01:30My mum run them and it was always a great place for a kid to grow up
01:34and that's what I'm intending on bringing back.
01:36Work is still underway here, with local artists being brought in
01:41to give the place a fresh lick of paint.
01:45A sign that for the first time in months,
01:48the glass here is half full rather than running empty.
01:52Olly Lieder in Gillingham.
Comments