Six weeks to opening day at the Barn Owl pub in Blacknest

More than 50 jobs will be created when the transformation of the former Jolly Farmer pub at Blacknest into the Barn Owl is completed in six weeks’ time.

Brunning and Price - which also owns the Mill House in Hook, the Leather Bottle in Mattingley and the Refectory in Godalming - took over the Jolly Farmer in Binsted Road, which closed almost two years ago, and decided to change its name to the Barn Owl after seeking the opinions of residents.

When the Barn Owl opens in November it will aim to meet the ideals of what makes a ‘proper pub’ - a beautiful building offering a warm welcome, good cask beers, freshly cooked food, delicious and affordable wine and a good shelf of malt whiskies and gins.

There will be a new garden room, a terraced area with a vintage tractor for children, a private dining room seating 16, a cosy bar hosting seven local ales where dogs will be welcome, some rooms with more of a restaurant feel, places to soak up the atmosphere and a real fire.

Brunning and Price is hosting two drop-in recruitment days in the tipi at Blacknest Golf and Country Club, on October 15 from midday to 6pm and October 16 from 9am to 3pm.

It is hoping to offer more than 50 full-time and part-time jobs for local people, from front of house to kitchen, gardening, cleaning and management. For more information visit www.barnowlblacknest.co.uk or email barnowl@brunningandprice.co.uk

Progress can be viewed at facebook.com/barnowlblacknest and instagram.com/barnowlblacknest

Brunning and Price began in north-west England and north Wales but now also has a substantial number of pub-restaurants in the south. There are currently 79 in the group, five with bedrooms. For more information visit www.brunningandprice.co.uk