The New Queen Inn is open again with fresh look

A POPULAR pub by the River Avon has reopened its doors under new management.

The New Queen Inn, located between Sopley and Ringwood, closed last December after being put up for sale by the then owners.

Since then the country inn has been bought by Link Pub Co Ltd.

An area steeped in history, the earliest recorded evidence of a pub on the site was in 1725.

The pub at one time was known as the Mermaid, possibly due to its proximity to the River Avon.

New general manager Kamil Rymarz told the A&T: “After extensive refurbishment we’ve finally been able to open again.

“We’ve employed a very high level of staff, including our new head chef Kevin Brown who makes great dishes and pub food but with a little twist.”

The pub was planned to be back in business in June but the reopening was delayed due to the extensive refurbishment required.

Kamil added: “After being away for so long we are going to try hard to make the business work and keep our loyal customers happy. We are just excited to see how the customers respond to the refurb as we have changed most things.

“We have a brand new bar, new furniture, decking and paintwork so we are expecting positive feedback from our customers.”

The first lucky person through the doors was told his pint was “on the house.”

Gill, the second customer of the day, said: “It’s a fantastic refurb, it looks amazing. The furniture is modern but I don’t think it detracts from an old pub feel – which is a good thing.”

She added: “We’ve missed having the pub around.”

The premises welcomes dogs and children, with a new play area located near the large car park. Other features include a decking area that can provide seating for 30 people as well as a large garden with seating, overlooking the fields.