The Grasshopper public house in Bournemouth Road, Poole, held an exclusive event to celebrate its £1.8million makeover, as part of an ongoing programme of re-investment into the estate.
Hall & Woodhouse, which owns the pub, invited local councillors and dignitaries from Bournemouth and Poole to see first-hand the new characterful features which make The Grasshopper both welcoming and unique.
Guests were treated to a Badger beer and cheese tasting with Hall & Woodhouse’s Chairman, Mark Woodhouse, and were given the opportunity to hear about the company’s vision from Managing Director, Anthony Woodhouse.
Dating back to the 19th Century, the pub was originally called ‘The Half Way House Hotel’ due to its location between Bournemouth and Poole. It has since been brought up-to-date with many new features, including innovative self-serve beer taps which create a whole new hospitality experience as guests can now pull their own pints at the table.
Work took place over four months to install a new bar with an engraved, raised copper beer engine, Colourful Coffee station, smoothie and fresh orange juice bar and al fresco terrace dining areas. The Grasshopper now boasts an open kitchen, refined dining room, informal pantry area, relaxing common room, while the team accommodation has also been refurbished.
Anthony Woodhouse, Managing Director of Hall & Woodhouse, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome everyone to The Grasshopper and show them around the pub, pointing out the original features of our Victorian Brewery which have been incorporated into the design of The Grasshopper.
“We are extremely proud of The Grasshopper, which is at the heart of the community in Parkstone, and the event was a fantastic opportunity to give our guests an insight into the history of Hall & Woodhouse and our forward-looking vision.
“Hall & Woodhouse continues to invest significantly into Dorset and we are committed to enriching the lives of the communities in which we operate and we were pleased to celebrate this with our guests throughout the evening.”
Hall & Woodhouse is a local independent family company that leads the UK market in brewing and hospitality. The company has a collection of around 200 beautiful pubs, stretching from Bristol to Exeter, London to Brighton. The business is dedicated to supporting the Dorset community and its causes, having invested over £30million into the county since 2013, on top of their regular and extensive charity donations.
The Grasshopper is open from 9am to 11pm, Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 10.30pm on Sunday. Please visit thegrasshopperparkstone.co.uk for more information.
