Bayston Hill’s Lorry-Hit Three Fishes Pub Thriving Again, Wales 2026

Key Points

• The Three Fishes pub at Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury, has been reopened after extensive reconstruction after the damage caused by a lorry collision in November 2024.
• Damage was caused to the pub on 11 November 2024, with parts of the building being demolished as a result.
• The pub was reopened in October 2026 under the management of landlady Anna Lowe, who has recently moved from south Wales to Shropshire.
• Ms Lowe operates the pub along with her partner Jon Lawrance.
• Black Country Ales bought the pub just before the accident and rebuilt it extensively.
• A Chinese takeaway adjoining the pub, which was damaged in the accident, has also reopened.
• It took firefighters an hour to extricate the driver of the lorry, who was the only person injured in the accident.
• Ms Lowe noted that business was doing well, and her regular customers have appreciated the new management.
• A micro-pub, Bunkum Tap, is set to open in Bayston Hill on 13 November.
• Bunkum Tap is the brainchild of local couple Rhea and Simon Alton.

Wales (Wales Times) November 03, 2026 — A pub that was badly damaged when a lorry crashed into it is now reported to be thriving under new management, after reopening following a major restoration project. As reported by the BBC, the Three Fishes in Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury, reopened in October and is now run by landlady Anna Lowe, who moved to the area from south Wales.

The pub had to be partially demolished after it was struck by a lorry in November 2024. Following repairs and rebuilding work, it has returned to operation, with its new management reporting a strong start to trade and a positive response from returning customers.

What happened to the Three Fishes pub?

The Three Fishes was struck by a lorry on 11 November 2024. According to the BBC, firefighters took an hour to cut the lorry driver free after the crash, while no one else was injured in the incident.

The damage was severe enough that parts of the building had to be demolished. The BBC reported that Black Country Ales had bought the pub shortly before the crash and subsequently undertook extensive rebuilding work.

A Chinese takeaway next door was also struck during the incident. The BBC stated that the takeaway has since reopened.

Who is running the Three Fishes now?

The pub is now being run by Anna Lowe, who relocated to Shropshire from south Wales. As reported by the BBC, Ms Lowe previously ran a social club before taking on the Three Fishes.

She runs the pub with her partner, Jon Lawrance. Ms Lowe told the BBC that the couple had been at the pub for just over a month and that things were going “really well”.

“We’ve been here for just over a month now and things are going really well,” Ms Lowe said, as reported by the BBC.

How has the local community responded?

Ms Lowe said business had got off to a strong start and that pub regulars had been welcoming and friendly since the new management arrived. According to the BBC, she said many customers had commented on how much bigger and better the restored pub looked.

“Especially with what’s happened to the pub, the amount of people that have come in and said how much bigger it is, how much better it looks,” Ms Lowe said, as reported by the BBC.

She added that regular customers returning to the pub had told the new management that it felt like a friendlier place. “It’s a much friendlier place by the sounds of it, that’s what we’re getting from the regulars now that are coming back in,” she told the BBC.

Ms Lowe also referred to the strong local connection many customers had with the former building. She said a large number of people had come in and said they had been there the night before the lorry went into it.

“The amount of people that have come in and said to us they were here the night before the lorry went into it,”

she told the BBC.

Ms Lowe joked that a plaque could be installed where the lorry had hit the building. She also said she believed the pub looked great now compared with how it was before.

What has the rebuilding involved?

The BBC reported that the pub underwent extensive rebuilding work after the crash. Parts of the building were demolished because of the damage caused when the lorry struck it.

Black Country Ales bought the pub shortly before the incident. The company then carried out the restoration project that allowed the Three Fishes to reopen in October.

The reopening followed the earlier return of the neighbouring Chinese takeaway, which had also been affected by the crash. The BBC confirmed that this business had reopened since the incident.

What has the new landlady said about pub life?

Ms Lowe described running a pub as “exhausting” and “hectic”, but said she and Mr Lawrance were thrilled to be in Bayston Hill. Her comments were reported by the BBC.

“It’s a nice environment to work in now,” she said, according to the BBC.

She added that the work was non-stop every day, but described that as a good thing. “It’s non-stop every single day, but it’s also a good thing,” Ms Lowe told the BBC.

Is another pub opening in Bayston Hill?

Yes. The BBC reported that Bayston Hill’s pub scene has another new entrant: the Bunkum Tap, a micro-pub due to open on The Parade on 13 November.

The Bunkum Tap has been created by local couple Rhea and Simon Alton. According to the BBC, the name comes from an old word used by local people for Bayston Hill.

Ms Alton told the BBC that the venue was intended to be a “real community village place”.

She also has a personal connection to the Three Fishes. As reported by the BBC, she worked behind the bar there for eight years when she was younger.

“I actually worked behind the bar of the Three Fishes for eight years when I was younger, and there are a few of my fellow barmen and women who’ve said they’d happily jump behind the bar and assist,”

Ms Alton told the BBC.

What does this mean for Bayston Hill’s pub trade?

The reopening of the Three Fishes comes as another licensed venue prepares to open in the village. The BBC reported that the Bunkum Tap is due to open on 13 November, adding to the village’s pub offer.

Ms Alton acknowledged the economic headwinds facing the pub trade. However, she told the BBC that Bayston Hill had supported four pubs during her lifetime and expressed hope that the village would “come alive” with the places opening up.

“Hopefully Bayston Hill will just come alive with all the places that are opening up,”

she said, as reported by the BBC.

Background of the development

The Three Fishes is located in Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury in Shropshire. It was struck by a lorry on 11 November 2024, an incident that caused substantial damage to the building and also affected a neighbouring Chinese takeaway.

The damage led to partial demolition of the pub. Black Country Ales, which had purchased the premises shortly before the crash, carried out extensive rebuilding work before the venue reopened in October under Anna Lowe and Jon Lawrance.

The incident itself required an hour-long operation by firefighters to free the lorry driver. The BBC reported that no one else was injured.

The wider context includes continued pressure on the pub sector. Ms Alton referred to “economic head-winds” facing the trade, while also pointing to Bayston Hill’s history of supporting several pubs and the forthcoming opening of the Bunkum Tap.

Prediction: How could this affect Bayston Hill residents and pub-goers?

For local residents, the restored Three Fishes may provide a renewed central social venue following a disruptive period after the 2024 crash. The reported return of regular customers and positive comments about the rebuilt premises suggest that the pub could again become a familiar meeting point in the village.

For pub-goers, the reopening adds choice at a time when the Bunkum Tap is also preparing to open. If both venues establish steady trade, residents may have more opportunities for local socialising without travelling to Shrewsbury or nearby areas.

For people working in hospitality, the development could create interest in Bayston Hill’s pub sector. Ms Alton’s comments about former colleagues offering to help behind the bar indicate existing local experience and connections within the village’s hospitality community.

The longer-term effect will depend on customer demand, operating costs and the wider pressures facing the pub trade. For now, the reported early trading performance at the Three Fishes and the planned opening of the Bunkum Tap point to renewed activity in Bayston Hill’s village pub scene.