A POPULAR and picturesque country pub is back in business two months after it closed without warning.

The Lamb at Winkton is being run by tenants Tracey and Geoff Brawn who are offering a new menu and a spruced up bar area.

In July visitors to the Burley Road pub were shocked to see a hand-written note on the door which simply said: “Sorry we are closed.”

Before it closed there was a sign outside the pub offering “a fantastic business opportunity”.

Tracey and Geoff have added The Lamb to their portfolio of pubs.

They already run free houses The White Hart in Poulner and the Crown Tap, both in Ringwood. They have run the pubs for 15 years and 10 years respectively.

Tracey told the Daily Echo: “I have always really loved The Lamb - we came here years ago and fell in love with the place. I had a chance meeting with someone from Enterprise Inns, who own it, at the New Forest Show.

“I told them we would be interested and it all happened very quickly - we are very excited about it.”

She added: “As soon as we got here there were people popping in to see what was going on and when we would be opening.”

The pub has had a bright refurbishment with a colourful floral display and a lick of teal paint around the bar area.

Tracey said they have plans to continue their décor improvements in the lead up the Christmas.

She added: “When we bought it, the place was looking a little sad and needed some TLC which it has now got.

“We are just trying to build the business up again.”

A ladies darts team will be hosted at the venue as well as rugby being played on TV and live bands performing regularly.

Local saxophone group ‘Saxuality’ will kick off the live performances on Saturday September 21.

The pub is situated on the edge of the New Forest just outside the village of Winkton, two miles outside of Christchurch.

It has a bar and separate restaurant, as well as a beer garden.

A number of pubs in the Christchurch area have closed down with some reopening recently.

The New Queen Inn, between Sopley and Ringwood on the B334, reopened this summer after being taken on by a new landlord.

The venue was taken over by Link Pub Co Ltd.