A HAMPSHIRE country pub has closed for a three-week refurbishment under its new owners.

The Hunters Inn on Winchester Hill, Romsey, has been bought by Taste the World, a group which owns several other pubs, including The Rising Sun in Colden Common, The Dolphin in Hursley and the recently-acquired March Hare in Harestock, Winchester.

Taste the World's owner, Jonathan Spencer, told the Chronicle: "It's going to be focussed on the local area. We are hoping to restore some of that good will that the pub had."

READ MORE: The March Hare new owner to make it a 'real pub of the area'

Left to right, Rich Sims, Nicola Schutrups and Chris Schutrups, the previous co-owners of The Hunters Inn (Image: NQ)

The pub closed at midday on Friday, October 4, and if all goes to plan will reopen on October 25.

Jonathan explained that, while he doesn't want to totally refurbish the pub like he did with The March Hare, there will be some important changes.

He said: "We are going to have a charcoal grill and a wood-fired pizza oven. There will also be a brand new kitchen.

"The outside area's massive – there's space to seat about 200 people in the garden – so we want to take advantage of that."

As well as changes to the pub itself, the menu will have local produce.

SEE ALSO: Hampshire country pub The Duke on the Test hosts actor and composer

Jonathan said: "We are planning to use the forest nearby to source some ingredients."

This is not Romsey's only country pub to be bought up and transformed in recent times – The Malthouse on Stockbridge Road (formerly The Goat) was purchased and renamed under its original moniker by publicans Steve and Mandy Lee in August.

This is part of a wider trend of Hampshire pub owners' attempts to bring boozers back to the community establishments they once were within the broader context of industry hardships and closures suffered across the country. 

The Hunters will have a distinctly different feel to The March Hare, which Jonathan recently bought and refurbished in an effort to make the establishment a pillar of the community.

At the time, he 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.”