New Look And New Food Offer At Refurbished Surrey Pub

The Plough in the bustling historic town of Farnham, Surrey, has reopened after a month-long £150,000 refurbishment.

The traditional Shepherd Neame pub is located in the town centre, close to the 12th century church and castle. It was closed while the work was carried out, which involved repainting the pub exterior, including new signwriting, and installing a new timber pub sign. At the rear, its large garden has been tidied, and new bench seating installed. 

Inside, the floorboards have been sanded and varnished, and original wall brickwork uncovered to create a more rustic feel. It has also been repainted throughout, the toilets have been completely renovated, and a new fixed seating area has been created in the rear bar area. The installation of a new glass door at the front of the pub allows in more light, while retro-style filament light bulbs installed in the front windows create a more welcoming, cosy look, supported by a new log-burning stove in the front bar.

The new-look pub is being run by licensee Caroline Mauluka and husband Brodie, who took it over in May. Brodie is originally from Malawi and is the singer and guitarist in three-piece band Brobed Stills, which performs reggae, soul, blues and rock. The couple’s interests are reflected in the pub’s new décor, which includes old vinyl records on the wall, and African pictures in the snug area.

Caroline is a first-time licensee, as she is a social worker by profession, and previously worked as a manager in the NHS. She said:

I decided it was time for a change, and Brodie had always dreamed of running a pub where he could host live music gigs. We have lived in Farnham for 16 years, and when we saw that the Plough was available, it seemed the perfect opportunity.

The venue has lots of character, enough space for live music performance, is in a central location, and has a really large garden. I thought that lots of my skills were transferable, such as connecting with customers and people management, and we were also influenced in our choice by the fact that Shepherd Neame is a family-run brewery, and offered lots of support for first-time tenants. We have been really impressed by the amount of help and training we have received. They have been there every step of the way.