The Beeches pub-restaurant showed off its £200,000 re-fit today (Friday) as it reopened to customers.

Based in Burton Road, the venue has been closed for almost three weeks since announcing the work would be taking place from the end of March.

And returning diners will notice the difference straight away, with the owners aiming to bring it up to date and make it a 'premium' place to go,

Perhaps the biggest change to The Beeches - which has been operating since the late 1980s - is that the room at the back has undergone a transformation.

It was known as the function room, but it now an extension of the main restaurant, with more tables and another bar.

That gives the venue even more capacity for those wanting to eat out, but the area will still be used for parties and functions.

The entire bar area has been redecorated with new fittings and furniture.

Where there was once a pizza area , that has been removed to open up the area that immediately greets diners as they come in through the main entrance.

The carvery area has a new modern look - and the outside tables have also been treated to colourful new canopies just time for the Spring and Summer months.

But while there was briefly a concern that the work may not be completed by the 12noon Good Friday deadline, the refurb was completed as planned with the first customers arriving just before mid-day.

Manager at The Beeches, Sarah Howard, told Ashby Nub News: "We've had work done all over, literally the whole restaurant.

"All the tables, chairs and carpets have been done and we'll soon be getting more modern looking bar pumps."

Sarah said that she felt the venue had needed upgrading for some time.

She added: "I always thought it looked quite dated and I'd been telling the owner this for a while.

"But we also had another one of our sites, in Leamington Spa, re-fitted.

"And that worked really well.

"So we looked at The Beeches and said: 'Let's go for it'.

"We were at a point where we weren't sure if the work would be completed on time.

"But it wasn't and we managed to get it all through.

"We have more seating available, the area has been opened up.

"There's new furniture at the front, the plan was to have all that ready for Spring and Summer.

"We wanted to make it a bit more Premium for customers."