A WELL-KNOWN village pub at the heart of its community near Worcester is due to re-open next spring after a 16-week £500,000 make-over.

The Old Chequers Inn at Crowle closed last month and has been acquired by CD Pub Co – a Warwickshire-based gastro-pub business – on a 20-year lease.

Once the refurbishment is complete the pub will reopen as The Chequers at Crowle and will be a sister pub to The Forest at Feckenham. It will also offer a range of job opportunities for local people wanting full and part-time work.

Charles Harris, operations director of CD Pub Co, said: “We’ve been looking for the right venue to complement The Forest at Feckenham for over a year and our highly acclaimed head chef Tom Robinson will be based at The Chequers, while Steven Massey will be promoted to head chef at The Forest at Feckenham.

“We are investing nearly £500,000 in a full scale stylish refurbishment of the pub, both inside and out, which includes a new roof and an increased electrics supply to the pub with a new upgraded transformer to be installed by Western Power in the village. “

The 16 weeks’ works programme also includes the removal of overhead electrical cables and an up graded underground power supply to the pub.

Charles added: “Being a family business we’re lucky enough to tap into the professional interior designer skills of Christine Harris, who will be using a creative palette with inspired hues, fabrics and furnishings to bring the pub’s new style and décor to life with a contemporary twist.

“The chance to introduce our successful formula to the village of Crowle for great food, at great value in a great atmosphere is very exciting, and we are looking forward to becoming an integral part of village life”, he said.

From a drinks perspective there will be a wide range of local beers and cask ales available to complement a full range of spirits and wines from around the world, offered by the bottle or glass.

Charles stressed, the forthcoming opening of The Chequers at Crowle, which has parking for 80 cars and a large garden, will also create new job opportunities to the area and applications for full and part-time kitchen, bar and waiting staff will be welcomed in the New Year.

A website providing regular updates on the schedule of works has been launched to keep villagers informed of progress – www.thechequersatcrowle.com