GUESTS were invited to look around a newly revamped pub last night.

The Eliot Arms in South Cerney is re-opening tomorrow, Friday, after a £1/2 million-pound investment from Arkell's Brewery over the summer.

A seven-bedroom coaching inn with bar and restaurant, it has been purchased and restored and refurbished by the Wiltshire-based family run brewery.

Locals were invited to a preview evening to see the results of the transformation.

It will be run by new licensee Amanda Connaughton from Barkby Pubs who also run Arkell's Bull Hotel in Fairford while the kitchen team will be headed up by the experienced head chef – George Seagroatt.

The first phase of rooms have been completed with seven new ensuite bedrooms, while the historical ground floor has been sensitively refurbished to give The Eliot Arms a modern but traditional pub feel.

The Eliot Arms is an historical building and dates back originally to the 1800s and has since been not only a coaching inn but also a butchers.

The Arkell family have always lived and worked around Cirencester, however, they have never operated a pub in South Cerney and with the amazing history and heritage of the Eliot Arms they decided to purchase the hotel and carry out a full refurbishment over the summer.

"South Cerney, and particularly, The Eliot, has always been somewhere we would like to be," said Arkell's managing director, George Arkell.

"We are really excited to have had the opportunity to invest in the Eliot and are looking forward to opening the doors to the public."

Pictures by Paul Nicholls

See eliotarms.com