THE new proprietors of the Bear Hotel, Devizes, one of the most prestigious hotels in the West Country, are hoping to make it the centre of community life, especially at weekends.

Andrew and Angela MacLachlan, who took over the 16th century coaching inn in November 2002, are returning the front bar, which was updated in the early 1990s, to its former period glory.

Mrs MacLachlan said: "It has a very 1980s lounge bar feel about it, which we don't think is right for a period building like this.

"Everyone has told us that, before it was updated, it was the centre of activity in the town, especially at weekends. People would come into the bar to start their Friday night entertainment and then move on elsewhere. It was referred to as The Office and it was immensely popular."

Mr MacLachlan added: "It is very difficult to encourage people to go in there at the moment. With what we have in mind it will be a drinking bar, but people can still drop in and have their coffee from 9.30am in the morning."

The renovation of the bar, which fronts on to the Market Place, is just one small part of a major refurbishment of the hotel, which is thought to be costing the MacLachlans and brewers Wadworths, which own the building, a six-figure sum.

Work is already well under way to rewire the building and install state of the art fire alarms in all 25 bedrooms. The bedrooms are being upgraded in a rolling programme which the MacLachlans hope will be completed by the end of the year.

Work began just after New Year to completely remodel the hotel's ballroom, which originally stood on the site of the Corn Exchange and was moved, brick by brick, to its present position behind the hotel in the 1850s.

A lift will, for the first time ever, make the first floor ballroom accessible to wheelchair-users and the room is being given an entirely new dcor.

The walls are being painted in a shade of lemon approved by the National Trust and the blue and gold curtains are being created by Ginghams of Bridewell Street.

The ballroom bar is also to be remodelled to make it more user-friendly to both staff and public. But the work means that the function room will be out of commission until March, though bookings for weddings and other parties are steadily coming in.

The Lawrence Room buffet restaurant is also undergoing refreshment but will reopen in two weeks' time.

The MacLachlans are using the cellar bar as a venue for the Devizes Festival Fringe in the summer.

Mr MacLachlan said: "We have three jazz events booked as part of the fringe and we hope to have live music two or three times a week in the cellar bar.

"But it will be jazz or folk, something that people can listen to as they drink and chat. This is more in keeping with the atmosphere of the hotel."

The courtyard at the rear of the hotel is being brought into use as an outside seating area.

Mr MacLachlan said: "Everything we are doing to the hotel we are doing as tastefully as possible, using the services of local firms.

"It is still a 16th century hotel at heart and all we are doing is keeping it fresh.

"But I think it is very exciting and I hope our customers will appreciate the difference."