PUB RESTORES HISTORIC SYMBOL
A Woodbridge pub has proudly reinstated an emblem of its historic royal links – with the help of funding from East Suffolk Council.
The Bull Inn was awarded a High Street Premises Improvement Grant to help restore the House of Savoy Coat of Arms to the front of the pub.
Funding awarded in June helped to restore the historical insignia, which first appeared in 1896, when King Umberto I of the Italian Royal Family granted its use on the front of the building.
The gesture was the result of a unique relationship which began when the Italian royal family took up regular custom with then landlord John Grout’s world-renowned horse dealing business.
Current landlord of The Bull Inn, David Clarke says, "Thank you to East Suffolk Council for their enthusiastic support in helping to reinstate a key part of the building’s lost heritage. This includes the Planning Team and officers involved in administering the high street premises grant programme and approving our application to make the project a reality.”
The venue is among the first to complete the works following the award of a High Street Premises Improvement Grant – funded using East Suffolk Council’s allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
East Suffolk Council have to date awarded £85,543.59 in grants under the scheme from the £2.75m it received through the Government’s UKSPF programme.
Grants of between £2,000 and £5,000 were available under the scheme – designed to support businesses, landlords and tenants who may need funding support with projects such as accessibility improvements and restoration of heritage features on buildings.
Cllr Tim Wilson, East Suffolk’s cabinet member with responsibility for Economic Development and Regeneration, says, “It’s great to see these grants being taken advantage of by businesses in East Suffolk. One of the main aims of the scheme is to enhance the character of our local towns, and the reinstatement of this coat of arms is symbolic of the Bull Inn’s historical connection to the past and its enduring position on the Market Hill.”
