A LANDMARK pub has been given a £1.8million makeover which included it self-service beer tables and an open kitchen.

The Grasshopper in Parkstone is one of the oldest pubs owned by brewery Hall & Woodhouse, which has turned it into a cafe, bar and dining room.

The 19th century pub was originally called the Half Way House Hotel because of its location between Bournemouth and Poole.

A four-month refurbishment has given it a raised copper beer engine, coffee station, smoothie and orange juice bar – as well as the ability for customers to pull their own pints at the table.

Parts of the Bournemouth Road pub’s original Victorian brewery have been incorporated into the design. The lobby floor features the brewery’s old mash tun plates, which conceal a time capsule that was set when the project was completed.

The bar contains a fireplace made from the original copper that boiled the beer in 1901, while the walls – which were built from barrel staves and reclaimed panelling – have been decorated with pressure gauges, old bottles, family heirlooms and art.

Hall & Woodhouse managing director Anthony Woodhouse said: “We are extremely proud of the Grasshopper pub, which is at the heart of the community in Parkstone. It is one of our flagship pubs and the Grasshopper is trading beyond expectations, which shows that it has been well received by our locals. We thought that the time was right to give it a new lease of life for our guests’ continued enjoyment.

“There are so many focal points and special touches in the Grasshopper that we know our guests will enjoy discovering on each visit. Whether it’s meeting friends for drinks, having dinner with your family, or celebrating a special occasion, we hope that guests will have fond memories of The Grasshopper and will be proud of how it continues to re-invent itself as time moves on when they come back to see us.”

Hall & Woodhouse was founded in 1777 and is owned and run by the seventh generation of the Woodhouse family.