A NEW micro-pub and brewery in Rawtenstall is hoping to bring back a sense of community and togetherness in the town.

After months of work, the doors of The Hop in Bank Street will open next week, with bosses hoping to quench customers’ thirsts.

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Landlady Michelle Morris, 37, has worked in the pub trade for several years and will run the business alongside husband Andy, 59.

The three-floor site has been used as several shops over the years and has been vacant since September last year.

The micro-pub will stock a variety of locally- brewed ales, ciders and continental beers.

Mr Morris said he’s excited to finally get the beer flowing.

He said: “Bringing the love of local beer back is what we want to achieve.

“It’s had a resurgence across the country over the past few years and it’s great to see. We are doing this for the love of beer. Michelle’s family own Deeply Vale Brewery in Bury so it’s always been part of us.

“Many years ago every village in the country would have had a micro-pub of some sort, we want to bring them back. It is about having a sense of community and togetherness.

“It has been an adventure to get to where we are now.

“I have always wanted to do something like this and now I’m really happy I have got the chance.

“We want to be able to bring local beers to the town and challenge the bigger beer businesses who have a big stake in the industry.

“We hope to be as busy as we possibly can be on Thursday to kick start a great future ahead of us.”

The pub will be run by three full-time members of staff and one part-time member and it will be able to accommodate a few dozen customers.

Mr Morris said: “The big brands have been in control of the beer industry for a while now.

“But the more-local brands are becoming popular and rightly so.

“There are lots of nice beers out there that are brewed on a small scale that people will never try unless they go to a place like ours.”

The Hop will open its doors to pull pints for customers from Thursday, December 1, at 1pm.