A Blackheath pub will reopen today (February 23) after a five-week closure and a six-figure investment.
The Crown at Blackheath, a former sixteenth-century coaching inn, will reopen at 5pm with its brand new look.
General manager of the pub, Jan Mullerson, is excited to reopen to the public and show off the changes that have been made.
He said: “The pub was very much a drinker’s pub.
“It had a very good loyal clientele of drinkers but the food offer wasn’t that great, so we’ve really racked it up so we’re focusing on drinks and food.
“It’s very much a traditional, classic London pub.
“We have spent a lot of time trying to design it so it’s not gaudy or too brash.
“We have used a lot of brass and a lot of deep colours – it’s something everybody should be comfortable with.”
Staying true to its Edwardian heritage, the team at The Crown has worked to keep a traditional feel but with a modern twist through its new décor.
The new and improved pub has gone for a colour scheme of rich greens and reds, with pictures hanging on almost every wall.
There are fireplaces dotted around and old books giving it a cosy, homely feel.
One of the biggest changes to The Crown has happened upstairs, which has now been renamed 'Charlie’s Den'.
While that top floor used to be used as a function room, it has now been transformed into a restaurant.
Jan has focused the menu on “classic, British, traditional food with a premium twist” and is using fresh ingredients.
There will be three different pies on offer each day as well as classics like scampi and chicken in a basket to name a few, and a new chef who specialises in pies and British food has even been brought on board.
When asked his favourite thing about the pub, Jan said that it is the fact he worked behind the bar at The Crown 25 years ago, starting at the pub back in 1999.
So, for him this renovation is his “passion project”.
The ground floor of the pub has also been given a new lease of life, with the area renamed 'The King Charles III Dining Room', as a tribute to the new King following his coronation last year.
@newsshopper 📍The Crown in Blackheath has reopened this weekend after a £750,000 refurbishment. We headed down for a sneak preview to show you the changes that have been made #londonpubs #Blackheath #Greenwich #southeastlondon #southlondon ♬ original sound - News Shopper 🤩
The room was named through a competition, which was won by Lee Tester - a regular at The Crown.
It is not just the pub's interior that has been revamped, the outside of the building has also seen some changes.
A local artist named James Titcher, of Aero Arts graffiti, was employed to decorate one of the walls with what The Crown team describe as "a quirky depiction of an off-duty royal sentry, enjoying a pint."
Managing Director, Pubs, Jonathon Swaine, said: “This stunning refurbishment of The Crown, Blackheath, is part of Shepherd Neame’s ongoing investment in our estate.
“We have drawn on our history as Britain’s oldest brewer to bring a new look to a popular pub in a perfect part of Blackheath Village, which is a spectacular mix of old and new.
"We look forward to welcoming customers back in for them to admire the work we have put in over a pint.”
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