The Queens Arms in Breage saw queues around the block, when it reopened last week.

Customers were so keen to check out the new-look pub, and claim their welcome drink and tasters from the new menu, that the pub quickly filled and some had to wait outside. Later in the evening, they were rewarded with entertainment from fiddler and guitar duo, MacQuarrie and Toms.

The Queens Arms closed for eight months in November, for a £163,000 makeover funded by the owners of the premises Punch Taverns. It has been the longest closure in its 500-year history – but returning locals agree it has been well worth the wait, giving the thumbs up to the changes.

The refurbishment has kept all the charm and heart of the old pub, but opened it up to make it more friendly. The old fires have been reinstated and the dining area has been moved to a better position.

New publicans, Neil Barku and Jodie Phillips, took on the pub as Punch Tavern partners – and they could not be more delighted. Jodie has a background in the pub industry, having grown up in pubs with her publican parents, while Neil was a carpenter before meeting Jodie.

Neil said: “We have really appreciated the support from Punch Taverns. We’ve been involved from day one and many of our ideas were incorporated – so it really feels like our pub.

“We know villagers missed the Queens Arms, because it’s at the heart of the community. So it’s great that we’ve been able to bring back a pub that everyone can be proud of.”

The couple promise a fresh menu of traditional favourites and seasonal specials, cooked by an experienced chef they have worked with before. They will be using meat from the popular local butchers in Helston.

When it comes to fruit and veg, they will use their own allotment – and six others let out for £1 a year and a contribution of ten per cent of the produce.

The pub will offer up to eight cask ales at the bar, lots of specials nights and live music once a month. The couple will make use of the covered barbecue area and the pub’s large gardens which include a children’s play area. The pub also has a campsite with five hook-ups and two rooms to let for bed and breakfast.

Chris Hunt, new business development manager for Punch Taverns, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Neil and Jodie. The Queens Arms is a proper Cornish pub, set in a beautiful Cornish village – so it’s been great restoring it to its natural beauty.

“We think this pub has all the ingredients to flourish – even down to its own freshly grown produce.”