The Queen's Head Hotel in Ballarat East is back open for business with a fresh coat of paint and some new faces behind the taps.
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Taken over by Dean Mangion and Gigi Milone from South Street's Royal Oak Hotel earlier this year, the renovations are now complete, and there's clearly an interest from locals keen to see what's changed - there were a few punters looking through the window when The Courier dropped by on a Saturday afternoon.
Already the reaction from locals has been strong, with rusted-on regulars quickly finding a seat back at the bar.
There's a new leadlight in the front bar, and the original ceilings brought up to scratch, while the taps are from the Royal Oak.
The decor is period-appropriate for a pub built in 1907, with an eclectic collection of dining room chairs, heritage-style lighting, and a display dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II on the back wall.
Ms Milone said the couple started collecting old newspapers and postcards well before the monarch's death last month.
She said it's part of making the venue feel like an authentic English pub - Ms Milone is from London originally, and Mr Mangion has worked in several pubs in the mother country, while the Queen's Head's new head chef is from Cornwall.
"It's not just English-style food, he's from England, it's legit," she said, laughing.
"The Oak came with that homey vibe to it, and I think that gave us the confidence to know that people really do enjoy this.
"There are a lot of beautiful stunning modern places in Ballarat, but we thought, why not be a bit different."
Mr Mangion said it had been a "rollercoaster" getting the renovations complete, but he was grateful for all the local support.
"Some of the regulars at the Royal Oak put their hand up and got stuck in when we started talking about pulling down the ceiling," he said.
"It was no questions asked, they just got in and enjoyed getting involved with it."
The pub is still looking for a few helping hands for its growing staff, including an assistant manager so the couple can split their time between the two pubs, but the plan is to be open for dinners five nights a week.
"The colour, the warmth, the natural light - we want it to feel like an extension of your home, not corporate and stuffy," Ms Milone said.
"I hope people think we've achieved that - people's local pubs are important to them, and you can't mess around with them."
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