While one west Suffolk alehouse is poised for reinvention, another local pub which reopened in July is already enjoying huge success by returning to its traditional roots.

The Greyhound in Lavenham is one of the village’s only two remaining ‘drinking’ pubs frequented by locals. It is about to be taken over by the Macmillan family, who completely transformed The Swan in Long Melford and The Ram in Hadleigh.

But unlike the family’s two successful “bistro” style pubs, co-owner Lorna Macmillan is determined to keep The Greyhound as a “true Suffolk pub”.

She said: “There are already several high-end establishments in Lavenham so we are intending to serve more traditional British dishes and pub classics. Both of our other pubs have been absolutely brilliant but The Greyhound will be a bit different.

“We want it to become a real community hub where people can come and enjoy a drink or read a newspaper. We open this Friday for a month ahead of a complete refurbishment in October and we are very keen for local people to come along and tell us what they want.”

Meanwhile, the new owners at the Three Horseshoes at nearby Cockfield have taken a similar approach, which is paying off. Locals were devastated when the pub closed down, but since it was reopened at the beginning of July by landlord Lloyd Warwick, the establishment has gone from strength to strength by “getting back to basics”.

Bar manager Olly Hanley said: “We have gone right back to being a very traditional pub with homemade classic UK pub favourites and locally brewed beer. Too many places seem to be trying for the top end of the market but this is just the stark opposite and the local people seem to really like it.”