Historic pub to reopen next weekend – and visitors will be able to spend the night

The longest continuously-licensed pub in Lynn is set to reopen next weekend – and visitors will now be able to stay the night.

The White Hart, on St James Street, has been shut since former bar manager Neal Durose left for pastures new in late July.

Construction workers have been carrying out extensive refurbishments at the business in recent weeks, and it has now been confirmed that it will reopen on November 11.

Not only will people be able to enjoy a range of drinks from a new brewery when it does, but they will also have the option of staying the night in the historic upstairs rooms.

That is because landlord Ben Hicks is preparing to let them out, offering something new at the venue.

“The whole place has been refurbished, from downstairs and all the way upstairs,” Mr Hicks said.

“We’ve got five rooms, which we will be letting out with Booking.com and Airbnb.”

A new general manager has been hired, and he will be starting officially towards the end of this month. A sign in the pub window is also advertising positions for full-time and part-time staff.

When Mr Durose left The White Hart, he was concerned that its live music which has become a staple in recent years could come to a halt.

However, Mr Hicks says it will continue – albeit in a slightly quieter fashion to take guests staying above into account.

“We’re going to be having Sky Sports and BT (TNT) to make sure that we can make it the pub it once was,” he added.

There is believed to have been some form of tavern on the site of The White Hart since the 1200s, while it is classed as a listed building.

It has been continuously licensed since 1623.

Mr Durose originally took the business on in August 2019, but cited rising beer and energy prices on his inability to keep it going on his own when he left in the summer.