One of the oldest pubs on Royal Wootton Bassett's High Street has reopened after almost a year of sitting empty.

After several setbacks and weeks of anticipation, The Crown Hotel finally opened its doors on Friday, June 7.

Chippenham couple Will Groves and Abi Mussell are brand new faces to Royal Wootton Bassett and they are thrilled to make The Crown Hotel their new home.

The emphasis on this new pub is all on family.

Together, Will and Abi hope to transform a previous boozer into a child and dog-friendly location at the heart of the town.

Abi Mussell and Will Groves have moved into the Crown Hotel along with their three children.Abi Mussell and Will Groves have moved into the Crown Hotel along with their daughter. (Image: Newsquest)

For father-of-three Will, this move marks not only a new home but also an entirely new career as he previously worked in the poultry industry.

"It's something I've never done before so there's been a lot of trying to figure everything out as we go along," he told this newspaper.

"But I'm doing this with my other half Abi and she has been involved in pubs her whole life so she's really leading the way with this.

"We can't wait to get going and we just want to make it a family-friendly place and make it enjoyable for the locals."

The Crown Hotel, which is owned by Stonegate Group, sits in a Grade-II listed building that was originally an 18th-century coaching inn.

According to Will and Abi, they had originally hoped to open The Crown Hotel in time for Royal Wootton Bassett Carnival, but the opening was delayed by several setbacks.

Locals are excited to see The Crown Hotel, a popular 18th-century pub, back up and running.Locals are excited to see The Crown Hotel, a popular 18th-century pub, back up and running. (Image: Newsquest) "We've been in Bassett now for two months and there's been quite a lot to do," added Will.

"We perhaps underestimated quite how much was involved in getting a pub like this ready while also moving our lives over to Royal Wootton Bassett and making a home for ourselves too - but we have all been enjoying it.

"We've met a few lovely people around the town over the past few weeks already, so we are all very much looking forward to opening our doors."

The Crown Hotel officially opened to the public on Friday, June 7, and locals are encouraged to pop in for a drink.