Under his influence, the somewhat frenetic past managerial style is in the past. Visitors to the exquisite hotel, overlooking one of Hampshire's finest squares, enter a lounge with a fireplace.
The hotel's first bar is now a quietly beautiful small restaurant. Beyond it are two larger dining areas, one a conservatory with chandelier. Intensely cool green silk curtains and blinds, white tablecloths, beige suede high-backed chairs and flowers add to the calm atmosphere in the conservatory and restaurant.
The only distraction is music from the fabulous Katie Melua and other singers who diners get to know well. The music is on a small loop and by the end of your meal, you'll be word-perfect. Unless, of course, you delve deeply into John Guess's spectacular wine list, in which case you might end up singing your own songs.
Head chef James Parsons, whose pedigree includes cooking for the Queen Mother as an Army chef and for Marco Pierre White's Canteen in Chelsea, is a classical cook who goes in for modern influences, including the sourcing of local ingredients. On the 82-cover restaurant is 28-day-aged beef fillet partnered with foie gras; slow-cooked lamb shoulder with butterbeans, swede and parsnip; cod with a soft crust and Dijon cream with wilted winter greens; braised local pork belly with crispy pigs' ears and savoy cabbage and poached halibut wrapped in smoked salmon with eel tortellini.
Some of the dishes may be a tad upmarket for some but there are simpler options. James goes to one of the finest butchers, Aubrey Allen, a Rick Stein food hero, for his T-bone steak, and a pork loin at lunchtimes is partnered with a mustard sauce. There's a just under the £15 mark set three-course lunch menu or an a la carte one, and evening main courses start at £16.25.
I kicked off with a tian of tuna and prawns which was exquisitely turned-out and topped with diced tomato, a slick of herby crème fraiche and an intense peppery salad of the tiniest baby leaves. This understated dish was delectable on a modest scale.
Seeing rabbit with wild mushroom fricassee, I had to have it, thinking that the linguini that came with it was a sidekick, not the whole story. I should have asked one of the well-trained, charming young staff before ordering it. What I got was a plate of pasta with rabbit and mushrooms. In other chefs' hands this would have been a tad dull but James is a master of flavour intensity.
That rabbit and those mushrooms, partnered with rosemary and cream, created a sublime dish.
A pear tart with ice cream and a caramel sauce followed.
James poached a whole pear before sliding it gently into a pastry basket. A trio of lemon desserts or six Hampshire cheeses are other choices.
Come early to spend time with the wine list. John Guess's passion spills on to several dense pages which include a Proprietors' Private Selection with 'wow factor'. House wines and other global choices won't break the bank -– but the selection might.
Will the new Old House woo those interested in excellent cooking, fine wines, service and being in one of the more pleasing buildings in Hampshire? It should – and will.

Old House Hotel and Restaurant, The Square, Wickham. 01329 833049. Open seven days a week for lunch, midday-2.30pm, and dinner, 7pm-9.30pm, closing only for dinner on Sundays.
Food: *****
Service: *****
Atmosphere: *****
Disabled access: No stairs are involved but there is a narrow passage to the restaurant. No disabled toilet but there is an outside opening door with a ramp into the ladies' loo.
How to get there: Exit the M27 at junction 10 on to the A32 to Wickham, turn right into the Square. The hotel is on the right towards the end of the Square. Small car park but ample parking in the Square.