A 29-YEAR-OLD man hopes to revitalise a pub he used to attend as a regular after becoming its new manager.

Aaron Foster took over the New Victoria Hotel pub, Livingstone Road, Bolton Woods, last month after it had been shut for the previous three months.

He has already redecorated the inside of the pub, which he branded rundown, which has now been fitted with new beer pumps, carpets and a pool table.

Mr Foster hopes the pub will attract more families to visit and see residents return to the venue.

It is the first venture into pub management for Mr Foster, who previously worked as a plasterer and also in rendering.

He said: “There is a good feeling about it. I have lived in the area all of my life.

“The pub was empty and run down and I remembered the good days in there when I was younger. I wanted to bring it back to life. It is the only pub in Bolton Woods. It is a pretty tight knit community.

“I need to build my reputation up now. We want to get all of the locals back in.

“I’m hoping that the pub will create about three jobs.”

Mr Foster hopes the site will also be further boosted by a new nearby housing development. The first phase, featuring 280 homes, is under construction.

The £150 million, 1,100 home ‘urban village’ between Bradford and Shipley, named New Bolton Woods, has been in the pipeline for several years.

The scheme is a joint venture between Bradford Council and development firm Urbo Regeneration, and covers a 30-hectare site in the Canal Road corridor.

Keepmoat Homes has been listed as the company which has been chosen to build the properties.

Mr Foster added: “The housing development will be good for us. There are houses going up to the side of us. It is a good boost to the local economy.”

The application says that the houses on the site will include 18 four bedroom houses, 107 three bedroom houses, and 20 two bedroom houses, as well as enough parking on the site for 290 cars.

The pub trade is a family affair for Mr Foster, after his aunt was appointed as landlady of a re-opened venue in Saltaire.

The former Victoria pub in Saltaire Road has been re-named The Salt Cellar.

The pub, on the border of Saltaire and Shipley, dates back to 1875. In recent years the pub has been closed and re-opened on a regular basis, and had been shut and up for sale for several months until it re-opened in November last year.