AN EMMBROOK pub has been given a new lease of life after a receiving a makeover.
The Dog and Duck in Matthewsgreen Road reopened in January after a two-week refurbishment by new landlords Richard and Veronica Athroll.
And they are already attracting support and interest from the local community – they have hosted a number of local groups since they arrived in November. Earlier in February, they held a gathering for the new Mulberry Grove residents.
“It’s all about getting the community together,” said Mr Athroll, who spent 32 years in the military before moving to Emmbrook. “We’re aiming to be a real family and welcoming pub.”
This is the couple’s first pub and they moved from Ash in Hampshire after discovering the inn. So far, everything has been going well for them and they say they have been welcomed by customers old and new alike.
“We’ve taken to it like a Dog and Duck to water,” joked Mr Athroll. “We’ve had a nice warm welcome and we’ve enjoyed getting to know people.”
While the interior of the pub has had an extensive makeover, some things have remained the same: the pub quiz is still taking place on Mondays and, as Mr Athroll said, “It’s run by one of the guys who beat the Eggheads in the BBC TV quiz of the same name.”
They’re looking to build the business up and have recruited their son, Chris, for kitchen duties. But it is not nepotism: he has extensive experience in other restaurants including head chef at Bill’s in Guildford.
Mrs Athroll explained the plan for the food: “It’s all fresh food, there’s nothing brought in. We’re very proud of it all being fresh. People have noticed the difference. Our fish pie has big chunks of fish in.”
Food is served lunch-times and evenings Mon-day-Thursday, all day on Friday and Saturday and on Sunday afternoons.
