ONE of the smallest pubs in the country has opened its doors to punters in Pewsey.

Using money from his redundancy at Honda, Gordon Edwards, 48, and his wife Sam, 44, have spent the past year planning, funding and creating their very own micropub named The Shed Alehouse.

The couple, who live in Broadfields, have transformed the building in North Street, which was formerly Blush Beauty Salon, into a mini-pub they hope will become a hub for the community or for local businesses to use as a meeting place.

Inside, it has been decorated in a rustic theme and Mr Edwards and his friends have refurbished it using wood and timber cladding so it lives up to its namesake.

It opened its doors to a large number of members of the public on Friday, who were keen to taste the various ale and ciders on tap, that have been locally sourced or come from microbreweries.

“I really didn’t expect it to have the response we had,” said Mr Edwards. “It was absolutely phenomenal. Me and my wife couldn’t believe the turnout and the reaction from everyone in Pewsey has been fantastic.

“We want it to be used for the community of Pewsey, which is quite a tight knit community, and we would love people to come from further afar.”

The pub can seat around 25 people and the inspiration came from other micropubs popping up around the country often taking over unused shop premises. There are more than 120 in and around the UK and the pair are hoping people come far and wide to see their quirky take on the idea.

Mr Edwards also joked that husbands can innocently tell their wives they've been in The Shed all day without getting in trouble.

Mrs Edwards, who works for an insurance company in Marlborough, added: “Our aim is to serve quality real ales and cider from microbreweries locally and further afield to ensure there is always something new to try. Just simply we want to offer a place to relax and chat with friends and strangers alike without any of the distractions in pubs such as loud music, TV and gaming machines.”