Kirton Grade II listed building is back to looking its best

The Old King’s Head, on High Street in Kirton, had been falling into disrepair until a plan was hatched to revitalise it.

Under the careful supervision of operations manager Vicky Smith (44), the 16th-century Grade II listed building is nearly back to looking its best - and will hopefully be open for business by mid-September.

“We’ve kept a lot of the original features,” Vicky says.

“A few people staying have said it looks like some of the roofs are about to fall down, but it’s all structurally sound!

“A lot of the fireplaces and things have still got that authentic feel.”

Every bedroom in the Old King’s Head has its own design, but each features some form of bird-themed décor in a nod to the B&B’s partnership with the RSPCA.

The wildlife charity is working with Vicky and her staff, and will be recommending the premises to any interested visitors.

Bedrooms have their own unique names as well.

“I like The Blue Room because of the view to the church,” Vicky says.

“The Duff Room was named after a family that used to live in the area. It’s quite fitting because the door frame is so low, so you might hit your head and shout ‘duff!’”

Modern touches have been added throughout to compliment the vintage remnants, including bedside USB ports and automatic bathroom lights.

A main coffee area will lead to various breakout rooms, while a ‘Snug Room’ has been included for larger groups to congregate and relax in.

Vicky is currently living on the site to help wrap up the transformation as soon as possible, and her passion for the project is clear.

“It’s just such a nice building,” she says.

“It’s got such a great history, so it’s good to be able to give something back to the community.

“It’s been derelict for so long, so it’ll be brilliant to see it nice again. There have been so many changes already.”

A launch day will be held at The Old King’s Head when Vicky is able to nail down a specific opening date, and she and volunteers will kick off a programme of guided tours around Kirton shortly afterwards.

They also hope their function room (‘The Community Room’) will be put to good use by locals and childcare groups, and animal lovers will be pleased to hear that the B&B will be dog friendly.

Finally, Kirton residents and visitors alike will be able to bask in the glory of this historic building again.