A Hertfordshire village's last remaining pub is to close for a major refurbishment that will help it thrive for the long term.

The Bull on the High Street in Whitwell – which dates back to the 1600s – closes for the revamp after last orders on 27 July and will reopen in early September, creating five new jobs. 

Whitwell had several pubs at the time of the 1881 census but now only The Bull remains.

The £260,000 project is being undertaken by Heineken-owned Star Pubs and Hertfordshire-based Fishermann Pub Company, which has three other pubs in the county.

The works will upgrade The Bull into a top quality local and make it viable to extend its opening hours from evenings only to 12pm onwards.

The overhaul will carefully renovate the outside of the prominent grade II listed pub, enhancing Whitwell's High Street. In addition to repainting the building, new signage and lighting will be installed. The pretty rear garden – which has views over the surrounding countryside – will have a mini makeover, too, with new planting, umbrellas and furniture seating 92 people as well as two six-seater pods that customers can book out with friends and family.

A sympathetic interior revamp will give the historic pub a stylish new look whilst preserving its character and charm. The new décor will incorporate heritage colours, William Morris-style wallpaper and deep button back banquette seating and restore features such as old quarry tiles, wood beams and timber floors. Other improvements include new carpets and furniture, plus energy efficiency measures to boost The Bull's sustainability.

The Bull will close for the revamp on July 27 (image supplied)

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In terms of layout, the pub will have a traditional bar, a cosy snug seating 12, a comfortable lounge with an open fire and a games area fitted out with a new darts throw and a high-spec AV system showing Sky and TNT Sports.

A kitchen refit will enable The Bull to introduce lunches and serve more food. The home-cooked menu will focus on pub favourites like pies, fish & chips and Sunday roasts. With no café in the village, barista-quality coffee will be served all day. Meantime, customers' four-legged friends will have their own canine menu of dog treats, such as veal and pork sticks.

Fishermann Pub Company originally took the reins at The Bull on an interim basis when it was in danger of temporary closure in 2023 but has now taken a long-term lease.

Harpenden born-and-bred Fishermann co founder Pete Mann said: "We thought we'd help out by running The Bull for a few months, but we fell in love with it.

"It's a beautiful old building that has served Whitwell for nearly four hundred years. The Bull has lots of potential; it just needs TLC and someone to love it. We'd like it to be a hub of the community again, and residents have been very supportive of the plans. The investment is just what's required."

To put The Bull back on the map as a focal point of village life, it is holding activities such as a quiz, bingo, music nights, sports screenings and darts as well as offering the snug as a meeting room for local good causes and organisations. The pub is also available as a place for residents and regulars to hold gatherings, celebrations and functions.

Dan Hayward, Star Pubs' area manager for Hertfordshire added: "We're delighted to be revitalising such an historic pub.

"Fishermann Pub Group have a proven track record for turning round struggling Hertfordshire locals so it's brilliant they're taking the helm. The Bull is getting the full works. It will be a fantastic local for villagers, providing great food and drink on their doorsteps without the need to travel."

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