A major investment is set to bring new life to a village pub that has been closed for nearly a year.
The Hope and Anchor in Greatham, near Hartlepool, will reopen following an 11-month closure thanks to a £320,000 refurbishment led by County Durham-based operators Scott Standing and Danielle Creswell in partnership with Heineken-owned Star Pubs.
Mr Standing said: "Both of us were brought up in the area and feel passionately that towns and villages need pubs to bring people together and keep communities alive and thriving.
"So, we’re excited to be opening another pub in the area, one that Greatham residents can easily walk to, and to be creating local jobs, supporting the area and its residents.
"We want to give people somewhere nice to go out and socialise with family and friends and reasons to do so.
"We also want to reach out to local groups and offer them a warm welcome, including weekly meal deals.
"We’ve already been approached by darts and football teams, which is fantastic and very encouraging."
Building work begins on October 12, with the pub set to reopen in early November.
(Image: Star Pubs)
They added that the renovation is expected to create 10 new jobs.
The duo plans to relaunch the Hope and Anchor as a family and dog-friendly community pub offering sports, live entertainment, and a high-quality food menu designed to attract visitors from further afield.
The pub will open seven days a week from 12pm to 11pm, with food served until 8pm.
Plans include interactive darts, pool and darts matches, regular live music, and a quiz night once the venue is up and running.
The couple also hope to host charity events, society gatherings, and seasonal activities such as Christmas wreath-making classes, car boot sales, and local markets.
The interior will be fully refurbished, increasing seating to 48 indoors and 32 outdoors.
The lounge will feature teal blue leather benches, botanical wallpaper, and a deep green bar front, while the bar area will retain its original panelling and include new lighting and a herringbone carpet.
A new interactive darts board, pool table, and three high-definition TVs will be installed, with Sky and TNT Sports available throughout the pub.
Restrooms will be upgraded, and the exterior will be repainted in teal blue with white windows and new signage.
The exterior will be repainted in teal blue with white windows and new signage. (Image: Star Pubs)
The rear decking will be replaced and fitted with barrel-style furniture and festoon lighting.
A new mural and repurposed canoe planters will continue the pub’s nautical theme.
The kitchen will be upgraded to support an improved menu featuring pub classics with a fine dining twist, such as roast duck, fish and chips, and Sunday lunches.
Matt Simpson, business development manager at Star Pubs, said: "The Hope and Anchor is a lovely looking Georgian building, that needed investment to give it a new lease of life. It now has this and a great team taking it forward.
The refurbishment is part of a £44.5m investment that Heineken is making this year upgrading and reopening pubs.