Historic Staffordshire pub closes doors ahead of extensive refurbishment
An iconic Staffordshire pub which is said to date back to Tudor times and rumoured to have been visited by Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots, has closed its doors for a £150,000 revamp.
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The overhaul of The White Hart on Stone Cross in Penkridge is being undertaken by Heineken-owned Star Pubs and Midlands-based Banx Pub Group, who operate the landmark pub on Stone Cross and will upgrade the pub and provide a new interior and revamped garden space.
The pub closed after last orders on Sunday and will reopen by Good Friday on April 18, with the work carefully restoring the distinctive Grade II listed black and white building and adding new signage and lighting.
An alfresco area, complete with flower baskets, large parasols and more than 20 seats, will be created in The White Hart’s sheltered courtyard and the hidden rear garden will also become a feature, with new furniture and an outside screen showing sports.
A spokesman for Star Pubs said: "A smart new internal décor in the style of a quintessential city pub will complement The White Hart’s character, whilst making it more contemporary and welcoming.
"The design will incorporate new timber floors, decorative wall tiles and brass hand and foot rails on the bar, along with deep button-backed leather-covered seating.
"The layout will enable The White Hart to simultaneously meet the needs of different groups of customers.
"The pub will have a new snug seating 20 people, a comfortable lounge and a spacious bar set up for sports enthusiasts with darts boards and new screens showing Sky and TNT Sports.
"Other improvements include redecorating the toilets and the installation of a state-of-the-art dispense system to ensure consistently perfect pints."
The Banx Pub Company took over the running of The White Hart in February 2024 when it was struggling, following four years without a long-term operator, and appointed Penkridge born-and-bred Marie Simmonds, a long-term customer who was working behind the bar, as the new licensee.
Since taking the helm, the team have gone all out to re-establish The White Hart as a popular hub of Penkridge, winning back regulars who had left.
They are now planning a host of new activities to mark the refurbishment and bring people together, ranging from a quiz and cocktail-making nights to outdoor events and charity fundraisers.
Banx Pub Company general manager Jamie Newbold said: “We’re passionate about keeping the tradition of the great British pub alive by reviving unloved locals.
"We’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve had from the community in getting The White Hart back on track.
"We’re pleased to be giving it the TLC it needs to thrive for many years to come.”
Marie Simmonds said: “The White Hart has always been an important part of Penkridge, used by multiple generations of some local families and regulars who’ve been coming in for thirty or forty years.
"We don’t serve food; it’s a proper local known for its friendless and it’s all down to the customers.
"They’re like one big family as everyone talks to each other and welcomes newcomers.
"Like many people, I’d felt concerned to see The White Hart lose its way and I wanted to do anything I could to help secure its future, even if that meant becoming the licensee.
"Everyone is really excited by the plans for the pub. It’s going to look stunning and we can’t wait to open the doors again and show people their new-look local.”
Andrew Myatt, Star Pubs’ area manager for Staffordshire said: “It’s fantastic to see The White Hart back in stable, caring hands.
"It’s one of the loveliest buildings in Penkridge.
"We’re delighted to be investing in preserving its outside and transforming its inside to broaden its appeal and meet residents’ changing needs.”
