Award-winning Heartwood Inns has officially opened the doors of The Prince of Wales today to welcome in the East Barnet community.
In a ceremony officiated by the Mayor of Barnet, Tony Vourou, accompanied by the Mayoress, Mrs Caroline Vourou, the pub was officially opened to members of the public curious to explore what their new local has to offer. The honour of pulling the first pint went to Dan Tomlinson, MP for Chipping Barnet.
The pub, previously designated an asset of community interest, has undergone an extensive programme of refurbishment and extension to create a warm and welcoming pub infused with Heartwood’s warm and welcoming style.
With a combined total of 150 internal covers, the spacious bar provides a number of intimate spaces where guests can enjoy a drink whilst the newly extended dining room leads on to a sheltered garden with a further 55 seats.
Under the leadership of General Manager Rory McMonagle and Head Chef Ram Rana Magar, guests will be able to enjoy a seasonally changing, sustainably sourced menu in line with Heartwood’s three star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, the highest rating possible. A carefully curated drinks list, including local beers, can also be enjoyed by guests. To celebrate the opening of the pub, the team already have a full calendar of activities lined up for guests to enjoy over the coming weeks including a guided dog walk between 10am and 11.30am on Saturday 17th May followed by live music in the garden between 5pm and 7pm.
Councillor Dr Philip Cohen said of the opening:
“We should thank Heartwood for investing in this wonderful old pub and doing such a fantastic refurbishment job, and thank the local community, in particular the East Barnet Residents Association and previous chair Rob White for supporting our campaign to save it. We dared to dream that The Prince of Wales could rise again when so many other pubs are closing, and thankfully the dream has come true. The new owners I know were impressed by the enthusiasm of local people to keep The Prince as a community hub and we as local councillors are delighted they will be able to enjoy its facilities for many years to come.”
Richard Ferrier, CEO of Heartwood Collection, said:
“We are delighted to have been able to bring this much loved pub back to life and to restore it to its rightful place at the heart of the East Barnet community. We are also very grateful for the support that we have received and are very excited to be welcoming guests through our doors today.”
