Wrexham: Old RAFA club re-opens as 'proper' pub

The New Cochin Inn opened its doors at the Ruthin Road site for the first time on Monday and promises to be a "proper" pub. 

In the coming months, the other part of the building will open as an Indian restaurant as the site is reinvented after being closed since the first Covid lockdown. 

Jennis Konadan, owner of the site, which is now named the Kerala House, said: "We wanted to reopen this great venue for the community and bring it back to life.

"Everyone's welcomed it, and we had a brilliant first day in the New Cochin Inn - we were struggling to close at 11pm as we still had so many custodians in."

The New Cochin will be open 4pm until 11pm on weekdays, between 12pm and midnight on Friday and Saturday and 2pm until 11pm on a Sunday.

Ashley Clout, manager of the pub, said: "We want it to be a proper, traditional pub - with a darts board, pool and snooker tables and a real community and friendly atmosphere. 

"We want it to be a place where people can come and make it their 'local'.

"We're keeping prices low (£2.70 pints) amid the current cost of living."

He added: "We have Wrexham Lager on tap, as well as your traditional lagers.

"It's something new and exciting for Wrexham, and with so many pubs being lost - it's great for a new one to open."

The venture has seen five new jobs created in the pub, with 15 more set to be generated in the restaurant - to be named the Spice Lounge.

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Mr Konadan added: "We have invested a lot of money in this, and we're so excited about it. 

"Work is well underway on the restaurant and we hope to have it open in the next few months. There will also be a burger van on the car park, which will offer Asian street food, as well as the traditional burger van menu."