THE Bridge Inn in the pretty Teesdale village of Whorlton was totally transformed earlier this year. New name – though many local consider Fernaville's Rest a bit poncey and still refer to it as Whorlton pub – new interior, new menu, new and enthusiastic clientele.

The couple responsible for this transformation are Thomas and Nicola Magnay (with the help of son William and Ralph the black Labrador). The couple already had a hospitality business in Northumberland when they chanced upon the village, fell in love with it, and decided to take on The Bridge.

The new interior is a triumph. The bar at The Bridge had always been quite welcoming, with an open fire in winter, but the dining side was a cavernous open space which always felt cold and featureless. Now the bar has been opened out to service both sides and the dining room has been divided into smaller spaces using wooden panelling. Add to the mix a lovely colour scheme and deer antler wall lights and the end result is modern country, cosy and convivial.

The Bridge, a Grade II listed country inn, has been through many incarnations over the years, and that was partly what prompted the name change.

"There was too much negative history behind the Bridge. Someone else having a go wasn't news, but the Bridge has closed down and there is a new country inn at Whorlton called Fernaville's Rest – that's news," says Thomas.

Whether you are treating yourself to a break – there are three en suite guest rooms – out for a meal or simply popping in to try the cask ales, there's no doubt you'll be warmly welcomed and looked after by the friendly staff. The choice of real ales includes own-branded beer Fernaville's Best, brewed just down the road by Mithril Ales.

The menu is posh pub; soups and sandwiches daily from noon to 6pm, evening meals from 5pm to last sit-downs at 8.80-ish. Staples such as prawn cocktail and liver pate, steaks (from Peats in Barnard Castle) and home-made burgers, are supplemented by off the cuff dishes, whatever is seasonal and the chef fancies making on the day.

Instead of a main, I chose two starters, a delicious, very light and fluffy fishcake with a chilli sauce that was nice and piquant, not too sickly sweet, then a Fernaville's Scotch egg, which was cooked to perfection – crunchy-crisp on the outside, delicious and well seasoned meat on the inside, the egg perfectly cooked with a runny centre. This was paired with a tasty pickle.

Both dishes were accompanied by the same small salad and very nice it was too, just crunchy lettuce and sweet, halved cherry tomatoes

For dessert, I was tempted by the array of Archer's ice-creams on offer, particularly the salted caramel, but opted instead to share a plum tart, which was actually a pie, with delicious shortcrust pastry top and bottom. It was filled with "Phyllis's plums", local food indeed as "Phyllis" lives a couple of doors down from the pub in the village.

My son, meanwhile, made short work of his oak smoked roasted salmon with horseradish cream and declared his sausages and mash "delish", while my husband enjoyed a large glass of prawns, before a home-made cheeseburger which was very tasty, and only spoilt by the distinctly average bread bun it was served in. Fernaville's needs to upgrade its bread offering, but otherwise there was very little to criticise. Ingredients are local – the meat is from Peats, the fish from Hodgsons in Hartlepool, and local gamekeepers keep Fernaville's in game.

With drinks, coffees and a nice bottle of Escondido Malbec (£19.20), the bill for our party came to £30 a head.

The Magnays should feel proud of themselves. At a time when so many village pubs are closing their doors for the last time, it's great to see this village pub revitalised, and full to the gunnels both in the bar and restaurant.

FOOD FACTS

Fernaville’s Rest, The Green, Whorlton, DL12 8XD

Tel: 01833-627341

Web: Fernavilles.com

Ratings (out of 10): Food quality 9, Service 8, Surroundings 10, Value 8