THE Mayor of High Wycombe cut the ribbon to relaunch a High Wycombe pub following a £190,000 refurbishment.

Hundreds of people took advantage of the weather to visit the new look Beech Tree pub in Amersham Road following its reopening by Mayor Trevor Snaith.

New licensee Samir Patel said: “It was an astounding turnout all weekend.

“It's difficult to gauge but there were a serious amount of children here, as we had a bouncy castle over both days and the new play equipment was a hit.”

The Beech Tree was closed for four weeks while both the inside and outside received a facelift, including the installation of the children’s play area, in a bid to change the pub’s image from a ‘summer pub’ to a ‘pub for all seasons’.

The alterations, combined with the new food and drinks menus on offer, has created seven jobs.

Samir added: “I’d been looking for a pub to take on for some time. The moment I saw The Beech Tree, I knew it was the place for me and it could become the type of family pub I wanted to run.”

Chris Jowsey, trading director of Star Pubs & Bars, Heineken’s pub business, said: “We’re delighted an experienced operator like Samir has taken on The Beech Tree and that together we are investing in its long term future.

“To be successful in today’s market, pubs must improve their offering to customers and this means investing in pubs like The Beech Tree to create a welcoming and relevant environment for all customers.”