A newly-refurbished pub is toasting its success after finding itself at the top of an influential list of hostelries in the Canterbury area.

The Tyler’s Kiln in Tyler Hill recently underwent a £1 million-plus facelift and has now been rated the number one pub for grub in the city on TripAdvisor.

It heads a list of the best pubs serving food in Canterbury, as rated by customer reviews on the popular website.

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Good TripAdvisor ratings are highly-valued in the food and drink industry, where a series of bad reviews can seriously damage a business’s reputation.

Formerly called The Ivy House, the Tyler’s Kiln had closed and was set to be converted into student accommodation until villager Allister Collins and Ben Fitter bought it and invested more then £1 million in the property.

He said: “I took it on at a time when dozens of pubs were increasingly being closed down.

“But we went to a great deal of trouble in the detail of the refurbishment, even surveying local people because it was important we kept the former regulars happy as well as new customers.

“But we also wanted to blow customers away with the interior design, even in the toilets.

“It’s very gratifying to be at the top of TripAdvisor’s reviews. We only opened in January and had hoped to be in the top five in the first six months, but have surpassed that.”