Prestwood’s Polecat Inn Set To Re-Open In Time For Easter Bank Holiday
After a substantial yet sympathetic redesign and refurbishment, the new team at Prestwood’s Polecat Inn, led by new General Manager, Damien Hughes, will be opening its doors once again to the public on Friday 12th April and is already taking bookings for Easter Bank Holiday family gatherings.
Bordering the Chilterns, the attractive Grade II listed building which was originally a 17th-century hunting lodge, will start its new life as a superb example of a contemporary country pub with a spacious, freshly landscaped garden and a significantly extended car park. The traditional bar and cosy fireplaces have all been retained, and there will be a new 65-seat, glass-fronted restaurant with views across the local countryside.
Light and airy, the restaurant will be complemented and extended during the summer months by a completely replanted and al fresco garden area. From breakfast and throughout the day, an impressive range of Mediterranean-inspired dishes will flow from the open, theatre-style kitchen where chefs will be freshly preparing authentic Neapolitan pizzas in the traditional wood-fired, stone-floored kiln and a wide range of seasonal dishes in their Josper Charcoal grills and ovens.
Regardless of whether they are inside or out, in the bar or restaurant, guests will be able to relax and enjoy a broad range of expertly mixed cocktails, real ales, fine wines, gins and other spirits. The Polecat’s extensive and varied drinks menu also includes high-quality Artisan coffee brewed with Rainforest Alliance certified beans from estates in Colombia and Brazil, together with a fine selection of teas from the sustainable Teapig company. The Polecat will also be thoroughly recommending a pint from Malt The Brewery’s ale brewed by husband and wife team, Jenny and Nick Watson, half a mile from the pub.
Damien Hughes, the new General Manager, said: “Following a successful recruitment campaign, we have a fabulous full and part-time team of 60, most of whom are local and who we are undergoing team building and intensive training so that they are ready for our opening. We can’t wait to welcome our local community who have been so understanding while we’ve been closed and show them the results of our refurbishment and new design. Led by our experienced Head Chef, James Norie, our chef brigade and craft-trained pizzaioli will be producing mouth-watering dishes and pizzas with fresh, seasonal ingredients and our knowledgeable bar and restaurant team will be on hand to make sure each of our guests is personally welcomed and enjoys their visit.”
Owned by award-winning independent pub group, Oakman Inns, The Polecat will be among the first of their 23 regional pubs to introduce their seasonal Spring/Summer menu which is perhaps more closely aligned with a Mediterranean diet. It has a healthy emphasis on the use of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, herbs, spices, nuts and healthy fats such as olive oil, plus fresh, sustainably-caught fish and some tasty meat dishes. Innovative vegetarian and vegan dishes and an awareness of their customer's changing dietary requirements all contribute to Oakman Inns’ success story.