We've proved the haters wrong who said we've never turn around the fortunes of the Miller Arms in Singleton

A Fylde coast publican says he has proved the ‘haters’ wrong after completely turning around the fortunes of a village pub and restaurant.

There are celebrations at Singleton’s Miller Arms after the hostelry achieved a five-star hygiene rating - after coming back from a serious low point.

The pub, on Weeton Road, is one of the oldest buildings in the village of Singleton, said to date from the 17th century, and has traditionally been one of the main hubs of the community.

Sign up for our free newsletters now A new team took over in 2022, headed by boss Lee Lord and wife Julie, after the pub had been struggling and then closed,

They soon brought about improvements but hit a setback earlier this year when food safety officers from Fylde Council inspected facilities on Tuesday February 27 and awarded the pub’s restaurant, the Greedy Badger, a food safety score of just 1 (Major Improvement Necessary).

Four months later, however, things couldn’t be more different for the village pub. On Wednesday (May 1), the Greedy Badger was handed five star hygiene rating.

Inspectors found that ‘hygienic food handling’ and ‘cleanliness and condition of facilities and building’ were both ‘very good’, and ‘management of food safey’’ was rated ‘good’.

Lee says a minority of social media ‘haters’ had been keen to knock the team since they had taken over but it had only strengthened their resolve.

Lee said: “After almost two years of blood, sweat and tears we have finally reached one of our main goals.

“To most businesses this is just something that’s expected but to us it much much more than that.

“We walked into The Miller Arms when it was in such a poor condition - it had actually been closed down - knowing we had the ability to switch things around.

“To all the haters - and for some reason there is - thanks for all of that.. you only make us stronger.

“To all of our loyal customers we love you. Thanks for sticking by us.. And to all of our fantastic loyal staff you are the best.”

The one star rating in February included a ‘hygiene food handling standard of “generally satisfactory’, a ‘cleanliness and condition of facilities and building standard of ‘very good’ and a ‘management of food safety standard of “major improvement necessary”.

But Lee said this had been primarily down to paper work and that a Hygiene Compliance Improvement notice was confirmed by Fylde Council just weeks later.