The Star pub has a rich history stretching back to the 1700s, having served various roles over the centuries, including a manor house and even a fort.
New owner Pete, who also runs The King’s Arms in Bexleyheath, has big plans for the venue, aiming to make it a standout spot while keeping its historic charm intact.
He confirmed that while work had been ongoing since January, the pub is now officially closed for refurbishment.
It is planned to reopen towards the end of March.
Pete told the News Shopper: “We have started doing bits since about January but today we closed for three weeks.
“The plan is to open towards the end of March with the main work done. Hopefully, we’ll hit that—we got a good start today.”
While some updates have already been made, much of the last few months have been about getting to know the building and preparing for the bigger changes ahead.
A key part of that process has been refining the menu, with a trial run held recently to test out new dishes.
Pete added: “It gave the kitchen the chance to practise plating, presentation, and prep. It also gave us a chance to get loads of feedback on the new dishes. It was all very positive.
“There were a couple of bits that we needed to tweak, and one dish we felt we wouldn’t take forward because it wasn’t at the level we wanted.
“But overall, it was a really important couple of nights. We now know what the food and drinks offerings will be as of the end of March.”
Beyond the food, work has already started on the building itself, with a focus on restoring some of its original features.
A pergola that was once part of the pub’s frontage in the 1980s has been reinstated, while improvements are also being made to the back steps, which will be used as a key space for celebrations in the future.
Pete said: “The big thing is we’ll be more sympathetic to the building. It didn’t necessarily match what the building was before, so it will have more of a heritage feel.
“The general spaces will feel more open.
“We’re not taking out any walls, so there’s no structural work, but we’re reopening glass panelling and doors that were boarded up. It will feel a lot fresher and more in keeping with what the building should be.”
One of the areas Pete is most excited about is the entrance, where removing some panelling has revealed a hidden staircase that had been blocked off.
Pete explained: “The entrance area was always something that excited me. Today we took out some panels that had been boarded over.
“It exposes a staircase that you couldn’t see before because it was behind a wall. We’ve restored the glass, and already it’s changed the whole feel of the space.
“On the opposite side of the corridor, we also opened up a door that was sealed shut. Between those two things, the space feels completely different.”
A surprise decision was also made regarding the back bar, which was initially going to be reinstated after some minor work.
Pete added: “We took down part of the back bar structure with the intention of putting it back up. But after working on it today, we decided we’re not going to put it back.
“We’re going to redesign one pretty much there and then on the spot. It’s going to open up that space and make the bar feel a lot more in keeping with what I was hoping for.
“felt okay before, but I didn’t realise how much difference it would make until we took that structure down.”
The flooring is another major change, with outdated white tiles being replaced with something more in keeping with the building’s character.
The new colour scheme will also play a key role in the transformation, with bold, heritage tones chosen to complement the grand feel of the pub.
Pete said: “The designers told me they don’t often get to work in places that feel as grand as this.
“They don’t usually get to use bold heritage colours, because most places go for the bland colours the building was in before.
“We’re putting up some brilliant heritage colours, so it will feel very grand and bold.”
