THE owner of two Hampshire country pubs has taken on his third and is looking forward to making it a 'real pub of the area'.

Jonathan Spencer got the keys to The March Hare, in Harestock, on Tuesday, August 13 with work ongoing to refurbish it in time for its reopening on Friday, August 23. 

The publican took on The Rising Sun in Colden Common last November and is looking to replicate its success at The March Hare. He also owns The Dolphin in Hursley. 

Mr Spencer said: “I get presented opportunities very frequently, maybe three or four a week, but we're very specific about what has worked at The Rising Sun and I see so many similarities between that project and The March Hare. It's an area that hasn't got a lot around it, so it gives us a captive audience that we can deliver a number of products to. So we're going to do the early opening for coffee and cakes, a lunch trade and then go into the evening trade where there will be pool, darts, sports, cocktails and wines to make it a real pub of the area. There are many reasons to visit.”

The March Hare (Image: Contributed)

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He added: “It has been a complete renovation, it's a six-figure investment. The floors and the walls have been stripped back, we're getting new carpet and lighting, it will look like a brand new pub come Friday morning. 

“When we took on The Rising Sun, the pub wasn't the best and we have transformed it, it's a totally different pub to what it was nine months ago. It's absolutely thriving, and we see so much synergy between the position The March Hare is in. It's a great pub, but it has not had the investment it has needed over the last 10 years. We want it to be a nice place visually to come, and we want it to be the best place in north Winchester.”

The March Hare (Image: Contributed)

Mr Spencer is looking forward to welcoming people through the doors. He said: “As soon as the kitchen opens, which will be mid-September, there will be a really fresh food offering including pizzas, pub classics and some of our signatures from the group, so we do a famous dish called bang bang cauliflower which is vegan and 100 per cent gluten free, really tasty. 

“We'll have a great selection of real ales, non-alcoholic cocktails, regular cocktails and an extensive wine list. We'll also have a pool team, darts team, poker nights and hopefully a football team. 

“The most exciting part is that we have actually found the original sign from when the pub was built, we're currently having it restored.”

For more details about the pub, visit facebook.com/themarchhareharestock.