Mon 5th Oct 2015 - JDW to return to Muswell Hill with £3m investment JDW to return to Muswell Hill with £3m investment: JD Wetherspoon is to open a new pub in Muswell Hill, where the company was founded by chairman Tim Martin, next Tuesday (13 October), with the creation of 40 new jobs. The company has spent just over £3 million developing the outlet, on the site of a former pub, The Village, previously the Express Dairy Building, in Muswell Hill Broadway. The Wetherspoon pub, which will be called The Mossy Well, will be managed by Genevieve Gardiner. The new-look pub, which is set over two floors, will feature two bars, bespoke carpet design, lighting and reclaimed furniture. There are also two reclaimed Victorian fireplaces, uncovered on site, restored and in use again. There is a terrace area to the front and rear of the pub, as well as a landscaped courtyard garden, to the rear, incorporating the external ‘milk float’ bar. There is a secret woodland, with several semi-mature trees, covered areas, a water feature and bespoke lighting. Historical photos, details of local history, information relating to events, historical buildings and characters of the area, as well as artwork by local artists are all on display. There are several original artworks and commissioned pieces, including local artists paper sculpture work, commissioned painting, local photographer works and a sculpted solid timber cow on display in the garden. James Grimes, of the property agent AG&G, said at the time of the acquisition: “With a total site area of 907 square metres, an existing 470 square metre unit and planning permission to remove the roof from an old tram shed on much of the remaining area, Wetherspoon could either create one of the best beer gardens in London or double the size of the current pub. The potential of the site is huge.” Tim Martin said of his old Muswell Hill stomping ground last year: “It was the launch pad for Wetherspoon’s success across the UK. I’m looking forward to seeing a Wetherspoon pub in Muswell Hill again.” Of founding the company in Muswell Hill, Martin stated: “In 1979 I was studying law and struggling to keep up. I decided to try and start a squash club, but didn’t know how to go about finding a site. One night I was having a pint at the bar of the North London Squash Club in Muswell Hill, and I got chatting to a chap who said I should “pop down for a drink” at a recently-opened bar in the area, which had been converted from a bookies. I followed the advice and became a regular at the new bar, never thinking of becoming a publican. A few months later, the guvnor said he was moving on and asked me if I wanted to buy his lease. I scraped together the money and a new career beckoned.”