Southsea pub to reopen with spruced up garden and plans for a beer festival

A PUB in Southsea is reopening with a spruced up pub garden and a new award-winning general manager who is looking to expand the venue’s craft ale offering.

By Richard Lemmer

Published 28th Apr 2021, 16:29 GMT

Updated 28th Apr 2021, 16:30 GMT

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Charlie Davey became general manager of The Bold Forester in Albert Road in October - but was running the pub for less than a week when the second lockdown closed the premises.

After reopening, the new GM had two weeks of trade before the third lockdown saw him shut the pub’s doors once again.

Now Charlie says he can’t wait to get to know the community he’ll be serving - and welcome back regulars to a spruced up pub garden.

The Bold Forester is reopening on Thursday, with a spruced up pub garden. Pictured: General manager, Charlie Davey at The Bold Forester, Southsea on April 28, 2021. Picture: Habibur Rahman

The Bold Forester is reopening on Thursday, with a spruced up pub garden. Pictured: General manager, Charlie Davey at The Bold Forester, Southsea on April 28, 2021. Picture: Habibur Rahman

The 21-year-old said: ‘The garden has had a bit of refurbishment - we now have tonnes and tonnes of flowers. And the inside of the pub has had little touches here and there.

‘I'm looking forward to getting to know the local community a bit better.

‘And all the pub was doing before was Greene King’s beers, but we're absolutely looking to expand the roster - anything local would be good.’

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Charlie’s intuition for a good beer selection saw his previous venue - The George Abbott in Guildford - pick up a recommendation in the Camra Good Beer Guide 2020.

Another pub under his management - The Wooden Bridge in Guildford - was highly commended in the Hogs Back Brewery’s Pub of the Year Award 2020.

The beer-lover said: ‘It all comes down to selling good beer.’

As well as expanding the craft and cask ale offering at the watering-hole, Charlie is in the early stages of planning a free beer and gin festival for Sunday, August 29.

In the meantime, punters can't wait to get back to their local, according to the general manager.

He said: ‘I've had about a hundred missed calls from people asking us when we're going to open.

‘It's been going mad.

‘We just wanted a bit more time to get the garden looking really good for customers.’

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Table bookings are now available online, with some space set aside for walk-in customers.

The Bold Forester will reopen for indoor service on Monday, May 17, with a weekly quiz night every Tuesday.

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