The Red Lion at Holt Heath was reopened in April 2024 by first-time publican Jaswender Singh and his son Sat Chahal who say the year ‘went better than expected’.
The pub underwent an extensive refurbishment after sitting idle for three years and the pair hoped it would become a hub for the village with a sports bar, Indian restaurant, coffee shop and mixed grill all under one roof.
Mr Singh said: “It’s been great.
“It’s the first time the pub has been open over Christmas in the last four years and it’s been absolutely packed.
“We’ve had really good turnouts and everything else is doing really well.
“It’s gone a little bit better than expected and we have got lots planned for 2025.
“We held a food festival last year as a bit of a tester and everyone enjoyed it.
“Locally, everyone was asking us to do it again and we are planning to.
“We are also hoping to have a pig roast with a live music event and we are launching a new menu at the start of February.”
The pub has a large outdoor beer garden and plays Sky Sports and TNT Sports on three large 75-inch screens.
Mr Singh added: “Our mixed grills have been very popular.
“We will also be adding a few more traditional dishes to our menu in February.
“We had a phone call recently from a couple in Anglesey who wanted to book a table four weeks in advance because they were specifically coming to eat at our restaurant.
“I think the word has gotten out via TripAdvisor and Worcester News and so on about just how good our food is.”
READ MORE – Inside the Red Lion at Holt Heath
READ MORE – Pub named best in Worcestershire
READ MORE – The Bush Inn reopens
The pub closed in November 2020. Previous plans to demolish the pub and replace it with six four-bed houses were rejected by Malvern Hills District Council after the pub was deemed to be an important community asset. However, a separate plan that would see the pub renovated was approved.
Several plans for the pub have been put forward since it closed and at one stage it looked as though the once-popular watering hole would be torn down to make way for housing.
However, planners at Malvern Hills District Council rejected the demolition plan saying the pub was an important community asset that needed protecting but did approve a separate plan that would see the pub renovated alongside new en-suite bedrooms.