A  village pub has reopened under new management. 

The Royal Oak, also known to locals as The Dicky, reopened for business in East Bergholt under the management of Tom Brown on Wednesday, February 7.

The pub had only been closed for a week before Mr Brown reopened the doors, having renovated the interior.

"It was really busy as we only had a weekend," said Mr Brown. 

"We stripped and repainted the walls and added a few more of our own touches, renovating nearly the entire inside.

"All of the artwork on the walls was created by my brother's girlfriend, Catalina Carvajal.

"We are currently renovating the smaller bar that landowners and bailiffs would have used and turning it into a private bar with pub games."

East Anglian Daily Times: Tom Brown (pictured) worked as a chef for many years in LondonTom Brown (pictured) worked as a chef for many years in London (Image: The Royal Oak)

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Mr Brown grew up slightly further south, in Ardleigh in Essex, before heading to London to work as a chef for 15 years.

"This is the first time I will have run a pub," he said. 

"I'll initially be manning the bar but will head into the kitchen once we are properly up and running."

After several years as a successful chef, Mr Brown decided to head back to his stomping ground to both enjoy a better work and life balance and manage his own business, after many years of being told what to cook. 

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So far, Mr Brown has enjoyed his new life.

"It has been really good getting to know the locals," he said. "The pub already had a loyal following but had been intermittent in its opening for a while.

"We also have a pump station and tool kit for any cyclists that might head this way."

While the new team is finding its feet, they will only be serving drinks for the first month or so.

However, Mr Brown has plans to serve a menu of "elevated" bar snacks and smaller plates during the week, as well as a hog roast on Sundays. 

The Royal Oak has plans to host a beer festival in the summer too, but this is yet to be confirmed. 

The pub is open from Tuesday to Sunday each week.