We spoke to one of the brothers behind The Wheatsheaf’s transformation into a four-floor cocktail bar and restaurant that will look over the High Street in High Wycombe.

The old pub, dating back to 1399, is due to finish its major renovation this month restoring it to its former glory.

There will be a New York-style neighbourhood bar and restaurant on the bottom floor with another bar, hidden in the walls, on the second floor offering an exclusive cocktail list.

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This will be a Japanese-inspired bar alongside a floor-to-ceiling window looking over the town's high street.

The top two floors will be used for movie nights, charity galas and private events with cocktail classes, live music, and even brunch being held at the venue.

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The food menu will change every three months as the kitchen is designed to suit pop-ups with Pave first through the door serving their specialty 35 day aged patties, cuts of steak and a range of sides.

The bar has also teamed up with nearby Mad Squirrel, a taproom on Church Street, and will use their beer to create a unique cocktail. 

Lewis O'Shea and his two younger brothers are from the town but have gained experience in the hospitality industry whilst working across the world.

The 33-year-old, who was working in Italy at the time, was brought back to his hometown to help open up the successful Lata Lata before working on the Manor Aylesbury.

On moving back he “discovered High Wycombe had changed so much” giving him a desire to open up his own bar and restaurant.

He said: “When I moved back on my days off I’d want to go have a really nice drink but there is nowhere and there is no reason to be nowhere."

“Marlow and Aylesbury have all these places opening up.

“It’s not that High Wycombe can’t have a high-end restaurant because we have places like Eat Thai.

“My brothers and I thought why don’t we just do it and open up an absolutely amazing cocktail bar with all the things we love from places like Chelsea, Munich and Manchester.”

Lewis admits working with his others has been “crazy” with there being “ups and downs, arguments, laughs, love and all that kind of stuff”.

The Wheatsheaf is the second oldest standing building in High Wycombe, almost 700 years old, with only the two shops on the ground floor being open in recent years.

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Working on a building that is almost 700-years-olds the team has found a string of architectural "treasures" including secret doorways and windows that go from room to room as well as floor to floor.

Wallpaper around 400-year-old was also discovered along with photographs, letters, money and even mercury.

It is the first time the building is being officially surveyed and the architecture working on the project believes “you could never design a building like it" saying it “shouldn’t work but somehow it does”.

There have also been problems thrown at the team throughout the renovation such as a collapsing roof from a fire 100 years ago and wattle and daub walls hidden within.  

The projects had a big finical boost in 2020 thanks to a £350,000 grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund last year.

The bar and restaurant have now also secured over £20,000 from their Kickstarter page which allows people to buy meal vouchers that help support the launch.

For donating you will also feature on the bar’s big thank you wall for all to see when it open.

The opening date has not yet been announced but it is expected to be in the very near future.