Altrincham's The Orange Tree has had a pretty torrid time over the last couple of years with several different licensees come and go. Things may be looking up for the Enterprise Inn's owned pub on Old Market Place with the news that the new team behind the pub is to be led by Chris Clish, the man behind the revitalisation of Chorlton's The Beech Inn.
Chris took over the Beech Inn just over four years ago after it had been closed for several months and many had feared it was lost for good. Applying his many years' experience and a simple formula of serving good beer in a safe & friendly atmosphere, Chris has returned the Beech Inn to what it was famous for - a thriving community focussed pub, picking up a CAMRA Pub Of The Season award along the way, a return to The Good Beer Guide and going on to be Trafford & Hulme Branch's Community Pub Of The Year runner up for 2013.
Chris's partner in The Orange Tree will be Gabby Burns-Smith who has been managing The Beech on his behalf for the past two years. Chris and Gabby will concentrate on the Orange Tree while day to day running of The Beech Inn will transfer to the capable hands of Andy Hackland who moves across Chorlton from Oddest.
The Orange Tree is expected to reopen towards the end of August with the team vowing to undo some of the changes made by the recent merry-go-round of tenants which included a bizarre relocation of all the handpumps to the lower bar invisible from the entrance. Once back up and running, Enterprise are expected back the new team with a significant investment in a total refurbishment of the pub later in the year.
UPDATE 28th AUGUST
Prior to opening, plans for a major investment in the pub by owners Enterprise Inns were brought forward so that the planned refurbishment could take place before the pub re-opened. Although this delayed the planned mid-August opening, if all goes to plan, the pub should re-open in early September.