New £1million Wetherspoons with massive beer garden opens its doors – and it’s in an old Beefeater

A NEW million-pound Wetherspoons is set to open today at the site of an old Beefeater pub. The pub chain giant bought up the location in May this year, following its closure. The pub chain has transformed the old Beefeater pub into a brand new drinking venue The Cranborne Hundred in Ferndown, Dorset, has become the newest Wetherspoon branch to open today (September 16), following its £1million transformation. The budget beer chain bought up the formerly-named Smugglers Haunt Beefeater pub after it was announced that it was set to close back in May. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! The pub’s revival has created 50 jobs for the area and is now ready to welcome families until 9pm with Wetherspoons’ signature dishes served until 11pm. Named after a historical district in Dorset, the venue features a spacious beer garden located at the front of the pub, and serves the chain’s wide array of affordable beers, lagers and spirits. The pub is set to serve alcohol from 9am to 12:30am from Sunday to Wednesday, and until 1am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Rob Stephens, manager of The Cranbourne Hundred, told the Bournemouth Echo: “Myself and my team are looking forward to welcoming customers into The Cranborne Hundred and we are confident that the pub will be a great addition to the local social scene.” This comes as Beefeater owners, Whitbread, confirmed that the brand would be permanently retired, with all 106 locations shut by mid-September. And residents appear happy that the pub’s legacy is continuing, with one commenting: “It’s great the Wetherspoons group have invested in a superb pub, nice to keep the site going for generations to come.” Most read in Money While others have said that the original name will be kept firmly in place, with another local stating: “We all declare it will still be known as “The Smugglers.” The original Smugglers Haunt pub in Ferndown was built in the 1950s, but was completely reconstructed following a major thatch roof fire in 1964. Comment now