KNOWN as one of the cosiest pubs in Ferndown, The White Hart has been named Pub of the Week.

The pub in Longham was recently taken over by David James, who has invested £500,000 into refurbishing the venue.

David said: “I bought the pub from Hall and Woodhouse back in April and have recently finished a full refurbishment.

“I’ve stripped everything back while trying to maintain the original features. The pub needed some fresh blood, and a lot of money injected into it, to tastefully revamp the building and keep its original charm.”

David has also submitted a planning application to build four rooms at the back of the car park, as well as a community space.

 “The plan is to turn the space into an adjoining pizzeria, restaurant, and sports bar to attract a younger crowd.

“We can also use it for functions, yoga, and art classes, basically turning it into a little community centre.”

A grand opening was held in July, with over 300 people attending to see the renovated country pub. David said: “Everyone seems really impressed with what we’ve done.”

Food-wise, The White Hart is “big on ploughman’s,” offering a “huge” sharing board with local produce.

The pub also has a lunch menu with two courses for £15, featuring home-cooked dishes and traditional British desserts. Seniors can enjoy a pie and a drink for £8 from Tuesday to Friday.

David added: “We are extremely dog-friendly. We even provide sausage and mash meals for dogs, which cost £3.50, with all proceeds donated to the Dorset Dogs food bank charity.”

Guests can enjoy the pub’s extensive wine list and varied selection of beers and spirits.

David lets his customers choose the weekly ale offering by asking for suggestions via the pub’s Facebook account.

Live music is common at The White Hart, and David said he’s looking to host more local bands and artists.

For Halloween, there will be a themed party on November 1, featuring live music from Murphy’s Lore Trio, along with a free buffet and prizes for the best dressed.