Swanmore pub the Brickmakers transforms during lockdown

Landlady Koren Blake has run the independent pub, in Church Road, Swanmore, with her husband Gareth for nine years.

Koren looks after the front of house while Gareth is the head chef. They live above the pub with their son and dog.

When coronavirus hit, and the pub was forced to close, the pair said they decided to fight for their business – setting up a popular takeaway service, applying for grants and reduced rent, as well as planning a huge refurbishment so they could eventually reopen in style.

Koren said the effort has paid off, and that she has been delighted to see locals flocking back into the pub to show their support.

She said: ‘We have been so busy. It has been fully refurbished and it is working really well.

‘There have been some changes – such as you are not allowed to stand at the bar any more – so we have lost some trade, but we are trying to adapt.

‘The Eat Out to Help Out scheme has encouraged customers to come out - and once they have an opportunity to see everything we have done and realise that it is safe and not a big deal to be out, then I hope everything will be okay.’

Koren said she was grateful to their landlord, who let them have relief from their rent during lockdown.

She said: ‘Without that help then we would have closed for sure.’

During the closed period, they renovated the bar area, putting in a new front door, refurbished the toilets, decorated, put in new heating, and installed a coffee area. The whole place was given a deep clean, especially the kitchen, and the garden was given a makeover.

The pub even stayed closed past the date the government said it could reopen, only opening on July 30, in order to get work finished.

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