Man Buys Pub but Then Discovers Something More Valuable under Its Rooms

A Macclesfield landlord was lifted from his lowest point after discovering a potential gold mine underneath his acquired pub. The discovery has since multiplied his net worth by several folds.

Doran Binder's inspiring story began in 2016 when he purchased the Craig Inn in Wildboarclough to kick off a pub business. The property acquisition followed his heart-wrenching divorce, which left him at rock bottom.

Not long after claiming ownership of the establishment and launching his small country pub, the property owner discovered he was sitting on liquid gold.

He recalled being strapped for cash after the big purchase and needing money to sort out his water supply. Yet, the necessity to deal with the water issues prompted him to embark on the daunting task of digging for water until he broke the aquifer and got the water tested.

Both processes required high bills, which he had to foot. However, knowing it was necessary as part of the annual inspection to ensure the water was safe for human consumption urged him on.

Things took a new turn when the property owner bored up to 27 meters into the ground below the pub and discovered water with unusual properties.

The laboratory tests revealed the aquifer underneath his pub was flowing with over 700,000 liters of some of the purest water in the world.

When news of his discovery spread, several high-end drink manufacturing companies approached him for a collaboration. But he turned them down, opting instead to kick off his own bottling operation.

He became successful in no time, exporting supplies to companies in India, the US, and China, among others. His achievement within a short span still seems like a dream for the father of five, who only purchased the pub as a last resort after his divorce.

Blair Water, the company, tasked with the annual testing, discovered the amazing properties of the water years back. However, the previous pub owners never thought to monetize the discovery, no matter how much they tried to convince them.

Richard Taylor, the owner of the company, informed Binder about the amazing properties of his water at their first meeting, saying:

"I've been drilling water for forty years, all over the world, and this is the best water I've drilled by a mile, anywhere."

Taylor also explained that despite the absence of geological signs to indicate good water in the area, the pub owner had certainly hit "a vein of gold, flowing straight out of Shutlingsloe hill."

Back in June, another pub owner discovered a hidden treasure under his establishment and excitedly shared the news with the world.

The landlord, Toby Brett, who ran the Holcombe Farmshop and Kitchen in Radstock, Somerset, found a mysterious time capsule left by the original owners.

The package included a price list from 1971, several ha'pennies, a £1-an-hour wage slip, stamps, car tax discs, and old beer mats. It also included a good luck note that read, "to the present owner from a past owner."

Brett cherished the discoveries, which was an ode to the restaurant's history, and made a point of infusing them into various structures of the establishment during his renovations.