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A high street pub which closed its doors to punters back in April is set to reopen under new management.
The Kings Head in Hythe is undergoing refurbishment as new landlord Darren Sterling Weller prepares to welcome back regulars later in the month.
A former head chef at the nearby Butt of Sherry, the 48-year-old is excited to return to the town.
He says he will offer up the classic British pub grub he was known for before leaving the kitchen almost a decade ago.
“I miss cooking, doing all my pies and English food, and I’ve wanted to come back to Hythe for ages," the former Brockhill pupil said.
“I want it to be a nice little local pub, basically, bring all the locals and regulars back in here.
“I think I’m doing more talking than painting down here at the moment, with people coming in and saying ‘it is you, it is you’ and ‘we can’t wait for you to open’.
“I hope that all the people I know and who have stopped by will come in and support me and we’ll get it back up and running.”
The pub on the high street is just the latest addition to a hospitality empire, which is primarily run by Darren’s wife Nong.
She runs Thai restaurant Tilucks in nearby Sandgate, as well as Stag Coffee and the Paper Duck Asian buffet – previously Yeung’s Oriental Buffet – in Ashford town centre.
Although he is keen to focus on traditional English dishes at the Kings Head, many people have asked if they will also be doing Thai food.
It is likely a few more exotic flavours will find their way into the menu.
"I want to put a little bit of Thai in it as well..."
“Hopefully my wife will come down and give me a hand,” he said.
“I know there is a Thai in Hythe, but I want to put a little bit of Thai in it as well.
“I wasn’t going to originally, but so many people have asked me, so I have put a few Thai bits and pieces on the menu.”
Although no date is yet set for the reopening, it is expected the pub will welcome back customers from the middle of October.
