Hayling restaurant closes ahead of month-long renovation

The Inn On The Beach, in Hayling Island, has closed for the whole of November for the work to be carried out.

The renovation of the champagne and oyster bar on Sea Front will provide a range of new features, including an outside kitchen.

General manager of Inn On The Beach Loetitia Hunt says that the pub will be better than ever when it re-opens next month.

She said: ‘The plans for the renovation are looking brilliant.

‘We want to be able to have more of a flow within the pub. We do just want The Inn On The Beach to be more like a pub!’

The new outdoor kitchen, which is being built out of a trio of beach huts, will offer ‘a more relaxed menu’ of food such as fish and chips and burgers to visitors to Hayling’s bustling beach over the summer season.

Another big part of the renovation plans is to rearrange the upstairs bar area, as well as installing a large conservatory-style extension to the upper floor of the building.

Ms Hunt said: ‘The upstairs is not very open-plan at the moment, so we’re trying to make it more open-plan.

‘The glass extension is being built so our customers can see Hayling’s beautiful sunsets.’

The Inn On The Beach is owned by the City Pub Company, which also owns another 23 pubs, restaurants and ‘gastropub’ hybrids across the south of England.

Ms Hunt showed Alex Derrick, CEO of the City Pub Company West, and contractors around the pub yesterday before renovation works begin.

Ms Hunt said: ‘It’s pretty much looking like a building site at the moment, but it’s going to look really good when we’re done with it.’

Arrangements are currently being made for a big re-opening event to be held in December.

‘I’m really excited for the re-opening of The Inn On The Beach next month’, Ms Hunt said.

She added: ‘Hayling Island needs more attractions like this. It’s a real destination site but we also want to be able to accommodate all of the residents who are living on the island.’