A town centre pub in Ipswich is to re-open next week following a £280,000 refurbishment, with extended opening hours and a new range of craft beers and gins.
The Plough Inn in Dogs Head Street, close to the Old Cattle Market bus station and the Buttermarket centre, will also feature a modernised bar area and a new-look beer garden including artificial turf.
There will also be three additional HD television screens, bringing the total to nine plus a projector, and the sports offer will be complemented at other times by entertainment from live bands.
However, there will still be familiar faces in charge with Paul and Michelle Bird, managers for the past 19 years, still at the helm.
“We pride ourselves on being a great community pub and want to give something back to our locals,” said Paul.
“A bit of TLC is exactly what we needed – its brand new and ready for the summer sunshine.”
Tapping into current trends, the pub is introducing gin Mondays, featuring favourites from the new premium range, Cask Tuesdays, with a 10% discount for CAMRA members, Wine Wednesdays, with bottles from £8.99, Friday and Saturday party nights, open until 2am with a resident DJ and live bands, and a Sunday wind-down with a quiz.
Michelle added: “A great British pub is all about atmosphere. Now the sporting season is coming to an end we have made sure there’s a reason to visit the pub every day of the week.”
There will also be a new food menu offering more than 100 dishes, ranging from traditional pub favourites such as pie and mash to vegetarian options and also including a full breakfast menu, with the pub now to open at 9am each day.
The new look will be officially revealed at a VIP event on Friday, June 16, from 5pm to 7pm which will feature menu tasters and a “meet the brewer” session, with Southwold-based brewer Adnams explaining the tricks of the craft beer trade revolution and Lilley’s Cider from Frome in Somerset offering samples of its new flavours.
Paul and Michelle are keen fundraisers, with The Plough having raised a total of £1,000 for a range of charities in the past year.
Most recently, Paul and their son Jake took part in an abseil down the maternity wing of Ipswich Hospital, where Jake was born, in aid of the neo-natal unit.
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