Wokingham welcomes the opening of The Rose Inn

There’s been a sense of anticipation and activity in Wokingham’s Market Place as, over the last week, more than 450 locals put the team at the newly opened Rose Inn through their paces before the transformed pub opened to the public on Monday 18th October.

The Oakman Group, which acquired the empty site in 2019, has re-opened the 19th Century, Grade II Listed pub, following a painstaking £2.1m restoration and redesign, sympathetic to the building’s history and character. With some parts of the original site dating back to the 16th century, the building and courtyard were once part of Wokingham’s historic Burgage Plot.

From the moment you walk through the door - whether it’s for a coffee or drink at the bar, an informal lunch, or a special three course meal - The Rose Inn offers the perfect setting to make their guests feel at home.

On one side of the main entrance, is Chaplin’s Bar which features a new hand-made walnut and polished marble bar, which highlights the retained and refurbished original wooden floor. This comfortable bar serves an extensive and varied drinks menu including cocktails, ales and wines.

Opposite, the Victorian oak-panelled cosy Parlour Room has overtones of a country house library and a sense of longevity. Its ancient beams, shelves of hardback books, vibrant velvet sofas, and a reinstated fireplace with its original carved oak surround, all create a sense of luxurious comfort and history.

The main dining area is in the former courtyard, which appears to be open air, but which has, in fact, been seamlessly integrated into the original building. The transparent glazed roof continues the contemporary al fresco illusion with views through frameless glass doors into the newly created Secret Garden. Explosions of dried flowers created by Wokingham’s Funky Flowers hang from the ceilings to mark the autumnal launch.

Through the windows of the former 16th century cottage overlooking the courtyard, guests can enjoy watching the chefs in the open theatre-style kitchen expertly preparing dishes over their charcoal-fuelled grill or their Pizzaioli producing hand-crafted Neapolitan-style pizzas in the domed wood-fired pizza oven.

From 8am to late, The Rose Inn’s Head Chef, Mark Allen, and his team will be serving a Mediterranean-inspired autumn/winter menu and daily specials prepared with fresh, seasonal, sustainably sourced ingredients traceable from field to fork.

The Secret Garden was designed to feel like another restaurant area, this time with a Mediterranean feel, to complement the menu and create a space with year-round interest. The outside room includes a heated, weather-proof pagoda with a bamboo ceiling and living bamboo screens that, in time, will be covered with evergreen clematis, jasmine and passion flowers. The garden also includes living ivy screens that provide diners with a sense of intimacy and everywhere there are little delights to take the eye. Magnolia Grandiflora, Chusan Palms, a Pomegranate Tree and large terracotta pots containing Rosemary, Peppermint, Lemon Balm, Oregano, Sage and Thyme which will be picked for customers’ drinks and dishes.

An impressive new sweeping oak staircase leads to the formerly derelict first floor brought back to life by Oakman’s design team, and now called The Oakroom. The restored oak-beamed high vaulted ceiling covers a spacious lounge with its own bar and comfortable seating which can be booked for private events and celebrations. A large bay window and another reinstated fireplace are highlighted by the textured Arte wallcovering and soft chenille furnishings. Within that space is a small snug with a pair of pretty reclaimed 1920’s rose-designed stained-glass doors which will provide the ideal spot for a private tete-a-tete.

Cllr Tony Lack, the Town Mayor of Wokingham attended the VIP Opening and declared he was very impressed with the way The Rose Inn has been refurbished and the way that the beautiful rooms respect the character of the Grade II listed building, whilst providing a bright yet cosy atmosphere for customers. He thanked The Oakman Group and The Rose Inn’s General Manager, Will Upton and his team for showing their confidence in Wokingham, for contributing a sense of a destination and for providing Town Centre employment. The Mayor and his Mayoress, Claire Lack, really enjoyed exploring the rooms and features of The Rose Inn and chatting to the new and enthusiastic staff.

Lucy Zeal, High Steward of Wokingham, said: “It was a pleasure to attend the launch party of The Rose Inn and to welcome this newly renovated pub, bar and restaurant to Wokingham. I am certain it will be hugely popular with its extensive offering of food and refreshments, in a variety of settings, that are available throughout the day. There is something for everyone and I look forward to returning with my family.”

General Manager, Will Upton, said: “The renovation has been an amazing voyage of discovery and we’ve been overwhelmed by the warmth and enthusiastic support we’ve received from the local community especially over the last few weeks. We have a fabulous team here who want to complement our beautiful building with the highest standards of food, drinks and service. We are also looking forward to getting involved with Wokingham’s annual events and other activities.”

The Rose Inn is The Oakman Group’s 36th opening and eighth since March 2020. Dermot King, Oakman Group’s CEO, said: “We are very proud of what we’ve created here in Wokingham’s town centre and Will and his team are looking forward to The Rose Inn playing its part in the community once again. We’re encouraged by the feedback we’ve received so far but could only have achieved this with the help of our investors who have supported this and a number of new projects through our innovative fundraising programme.”