Popular Bucks pub to reopen in December following £300,000 revamp
A major £300,000 refurbishment starts on Monday 2nd November to reopen The Beech Tree pub on Amersham Road, High Wycombe in early December, in time for the festive season.
The investment is being undertaken by Heineken-owned Star Pubs and pub operator Bups Chaggar and his business partner Denis Gill. 25 new jobs will be created as a result of the investment, which will transform The Beech Tree into a top-quality family friendly village pub.
The Beech Tree has been closed since early August, prior to which it had a series of temporary managers running it.
Bups and Denis want The Beech Tree to become a traditional yet modern pub offering exceptional, affordable food, great drinks and service in a warm and welcoming environment. Their plans include quiz nights, themed food nights such as pies and curry nights, and monthly live music.
The Beech Tree will open every day from 12.00 seven days a week and will serve food from 12-9 Monday to Saturday and 12-6 on a Sunday.
Food at The Beech Tree will become a major draw, with menus offering something for everyone from pies and Italian favourites to Punjabi Fusion dishes. It will be unlike anything else in the area. The main menu features pub classics such as fish and chips, various steaks, crispy pork belly and traditional home-made pies like chicken, ham and leek, all done to a high standard. Punjabi Fusion dishes will typically include Punjabi lamb pies, traditional curries and grills. There will also be an extensive children’s menu.
Fusion food is popular at Bups’ other popular village pubs The Blue Ball in Rutland, a quintessential English pub, one of the oldest in Rutland; The Three Crowns in Barrow upon Soar; The Carington Arms in Ashby Folville, The Malt Shovel in Barkby and most recently The Five Bells in Bugbrooke.
The outside works will see the exterior repainted in cream offsetting the soft Airforce blue coloured woodwork. There will also be new gold signage, lighting, flower baskets and planters as well as furniture and umbrellas giving the pub a smarter look and feel.
A full internal refurbishment will upgrade the tired looking pub throughout with a fresh décor, new layout and improved facilities. The overall look and feel will be modern country.
The inside is being opened up with the partition between the bar and dining area removed and a new dining area created, giving the pub a more spacious ambience. In addition to a top-to-bottom redecoration, the open plan bar area will have mixed height furniture, wall panelling, classic pendant and wall mounted lighting and fresh bric-a-brac as well high-definition TVs.
The dining area will see the flooring replaced and a new ceiling, furniture and bric-a-brac added, as well as a feature panelled wall.
As part of the revamp, the latest kitchen equipment is being installed to enable the pub to improve its food offer, and the men’s, women’s and accessible toilets are being upgraded. An extension is also being built to provide additional ladies’ toilets.
Says Bups: “Denis and my success with pubs is down to providing communities with places in which they want to socialise and offering a great environment and service. We’re passionate about keeping pubs open and thriving at the heart of their communities and are looking forward to reopening The Beech Tree in December.
“The food at the Beech Tree will be unique, unlike anything else locally. As with our other pubs, we expect our Sunday roast to be very popular. There will be four meats and a vegetarian option to choose from. Affordability and quality are keystones of our offer.
“We will be doing a grand opening with live music and free canapes for people in the area on 19th December from 6pm, so please do come on down.”
Star Pubs investment manager, Lee Dishington says: “We’re delighted to be investing in The Beech Tree with Bups and Denis. It’s a gorgeous looking pub but needs updating, upgrading and a new vision to take it forward.
“Bups and Denis each have 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. They know what they’re doing and do it exceptionally well, as the success of their other five pubs demonstrates. I am sure they will transform the fortunes of The Beech Tree; it’s what they do. It’s really good news for the pub and the area and a great time to reopen, just in time for the Christmas festivities. That’s worth raising a glass to. Cheers!”