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From the
https://www.kentlive.news
Family friendly Kent country pub with hearty Sunday roasts to
shut for huge revamp.
Customers can expect live music, quiz nights and live sports, inside
and out.
A country pub in Kent where customers love the "friendly landlords
and good beer" along with the Sunday roasts is closing for a
six-week refurbishment. The Swan, on the edge of Edenbridge, will
shut "after last orders" on April 6 for the revamp costing £325,000.
The company which owns the pub admitted it had become "tired
looking", and it said the major changes to everything from the
interior and beer garden, to the menu and events, would encourage
people to visit their local instead of travelling further afield. It
will reopen in the middle of May in time for the second May Bank
Holiday.
And there will be live music to celebrate the pub's
"transformation", said Sue Hegarty, who runs the pub. Work will
include an enhanced beer garden, which is large, with a mural,
archway, benches and barrel tables.
There will be new furniture for a further 120 people in the beer
garden, while at the front of the pub, the tables and benches will
be refurbished. There will also be new lighting including festoon
lighting to improve the ambience.
Sue Hegarty, manager of the Kent pub which is closing for a six
weeks major refurb which will improve everything from the beer
garden and the menu, to the kitchen and the inside.
The family and dog-friendly pub which has colourful hanging baskets
across the front, has got 3.5 stars out of a possible five on
Tripadvisor from 48 reviews, but that score could be set to rise
after the upgrade. The last review, with a festive feel, says: "16
of us enjoyed great food and perfect service.
"Sue and her new team at The Swan gave us half the pub and the best
Christmas meal together that I can remember, with menu choices that
catered well for all of us." Returning to the refurbishment, inside
will be "rezoned" to create a bar along with a dining cum lounge
area, with seating.
New decor will make the attractive red brick pub feel lighter and
more comfortable. There will be new carpets, new blinds, and
bric-a-brac to "enhance the pub's traditional country look and
feel".
Although customers won't see this part, the kitchen is being
upgraded with new equipment so the pub can broaden its menu, and
there'll be a children's menu. The menu will include everything from
light bites and small plates, to pub classics, curry and noodles.
Sue Hegarty, who has managed the pub on a temporary basis for the
past seven months, will continue to run The Swan on behalf of Star
Pubs. She said: "My partner Dave’s family come from Edenbridge, so I
knew the town a bit before we moved here.
"The Swan is a lovely pub in a great setting, and I could see it had
real potential. We’re looking forward to the complete transformation
of The Swan and to welcoming familiar and new customers when we open
mid-May.
"We intend to put on some live entertainment that weekend to
celebrate the start of a wonderful summer ahead." Star Pubs business
development manager Mark Marijnen said: “Sue, helped by Dave and the
team, has done a great job reinvigorating trade at The Swan.
"The pub had become tired looking, so we’re delighted to be
investing in The Swan to take the pub to the next level, improving
comfort for customers, broadening its appeal with a new menu and
child friendly garden and helping the pub trade to its full
potential. Local residents will now have on their doorstep the
facilities and type of food that previously they had to travel to
enjoy.”
About Star Pubs.
Star Pubs is part of Heineken UK, and most of its 2,400 pubs are
leased to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Its ambition is to
bring out the best in the great British pub "by attracting and
retaining the best operators, investing to create great pubs at the
heart of their communities and providing licensees with
market-leading insight and support".
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