A community is celebrating after its village pub was reborn thanks to a Geordie ex-pat who found success in America, but wanted to invest time and money in his beloved North of England.

Mike Burn, a 46-year-old business consultant, says the whole project is “mad” but “magical” and he cannot believe that Redmire Village Pub in the heart of Wensleydale has been reopened in just a matter of weeks.

Although the pub is only serving drinks at present because the kitchen had to be ripped out, along with huge amounts of other work, people have rallied round desperate to support the venture.

Darlington and Stockton Times: Mike Burn and the reborn Redmire Village Pub

The Bolton Arms, as it was known, had been for sale for some time without a buyer, and, after it was closed a year ago, residents created Redmire Community Pub Ltd with the aim of saving the venue amid fears it would be lost forever.

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Then in April this year Mike got in touch and said he was keen to get involved. He had left North Shields for America more than 20 years ago, but with family in Tynemouth he had always maintained a love of the North of England. After retiring at 46 he was looking for a new project. “I needed more to do with my life,” he said. “This pub kept coming up on the internet and when I found out about the community group, that was it, I wanted to be involved. You pass this way but once and you might as well do something fun and challenging.

Darlington and Stockton Times: Redmire Village Pub ]has been reborn and renamed

“It’s been different to what I thought, the community has been incredible, every day four or five people show up to help. There has just been a lot to do, it is a different project to what I imagined, it is much bigger. It has been a case of blood, sweat and tears.

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“But we showed up and the community showed up and it has been magnificent. They really want their pub and I have been adopted by the village. While the kitchen is out of action they feed me, or they leave food in their homes for me, it is just magical.”

Mike added: “This has all really happened since the beginning of September, we opened the pub in two weeks, none of it makes sense but they have been so welcoming to this ex-pat from Oregon.”

Darlington and Stockton Times: Mike Burn from Oregon who has relaunched Redmire Village Pub

The initial idea to create a community pub became too complicated, and a lot of money was needed to get the premises back into shape, so the plans changed, with Mike and his wife Kat buying it. However the pub will be run in partnership with the community.

Mike has spent the summer working on the pub, while his wife, son and dog had to go back to Oregon for school. Manager Kerrie Mackenzie has been appointed, and a chef is due to start soon, but it will be some weeks before food can be offered.

A spokesperson for Redmire Community Pub Ltd said: “Everyone in the village can feel they are part of things now. All we wanted was to have our pub back as a hub for village life. Mike and his family have brought this about, in record time.

“We will continue to support them in every way possible.”