New managers take the reins at Kings Arms

Stewart Hodgson and Sam Wells

TWO new faces are in charge at The Kings Arms in Melksham Market Place and are looking forward to making their mark on the popular town centre pub.

Stewart Hodgson and Sam Wells took over the management of the pub in February after moving from Mildenhall in Suffolk.

The couple have hit the ground running in Melksham and have plans to boost the pub’s food and entertainment offering, as they settle in with the team already in place under former managers Chris and Jade Lundean.

“We found the pub through Wadworth and just fell in love with it,” Stewart tells Melksham News.

“We worked together at a busy pub in Suffolk which had a high turnover of managers; we wanted a place of our own and were holding the place together  there, so we knew we could do it. The Kings Arms has been much busier than we expected, which is great. It’s definitely kept us on our toes right from the start.”

Sam added, “It was scary uprooting and moving 185 miles across the country but we’re both really excited.

“Wadworth has some really lovely pubs and we wanted to make a go of having a place of our own – there was nothing holding us back!”

Sam and Stewart, who have more than eight years of combined experience in the industry, formerly worked in a busy pub and hotel near an RAF airfield, which was frequented by American military personnel. Expecting a different pace of life in Melksham, they have a new kitchen and plans in the pipeline, for a regular comedy night as well as other entertainment.

Stewart said, “We’re lucky to have such a fantastic team here and we’re looking forward to making The Kings Arms our own. Our chef is passionate and imaginative and we’re going to really focus on building a reputation for great quality food.

“We want to create a fun, family-friendly environment full of helpful people and where the staff treat everybody well. It’s all about providing the best possible all-round experience for our customers.”

Find out what’s on offer at The Kings Arms by visiting Stewart and Sam in the Market Place or call 01225 707272.