After a period of closure, the Knight of Aveley in South Ockendon is set to reopen on Wednesday 10th July following a £291,000 investment from Craft Union. As part of the investment, the pub will join the Craft Union pub family and will reopen with a fantastic new operator who is a local in the area. Guests are invited to join the pub’s jam-packed launch party weekend celebrations that are taking place from Friday 19th – Sunday 21stJuly to welcome in the new era of the pub.
The Knight of Aveley has undergone a full interior refurbishment providing a fresh new look and feel to the pub. Its outdoor garden area has also received a makeover, setting the pub up for a promising summer season ahead. The investment and reopening of the site has also created more than eight new jobs for members of the local community.
The pub will reopen as a wet-led venue and is well positioned to be a key community hub, with sports as a core part of its offering. The refreshed Knight of Aveley is now perfectly equipped with a top of the range dart board and pool table, ideal for any guests keen to try their hand at some friendly competition. The pub’s viewing and audio facilitites have also received an upgrade with new additions of TNT and Sky Sports, making the Knight of Aveley a place to be in South Ockendon for first class sports viewing as well as a perfect backdrop for local live bands and DJs.
Operator Kirsty Nicholls is highly experienced in the pub trade, having worked in the industry for more than 15 years. Kirsty has previously run pubs in the local area and will now be at the helm of the Knight of Aveley as it begins its next chapter. Kirsty commented: “I am thrilled to be reopening the Knight of Aveley as a Craft Union venue. The investment has breathed new life into the pub and I am dedicated to making it a staple venue in South Ockendon and a place all can come to relax, unwind and have fun. We have a lot in the works with various charities and local sports teams to make this a true community pub and I hope you come to pay us a visit soon!”
The pub will be hosting matches for the local Pool and Darts League and every Wednesday guests can look forward to ‘Beat the Shark Darts’ from 8pm. The pub will also be hosting a weekly quiz with prizes every Tuesday evening and the fun continues into the weekend with a DJ every Friday from 8pm till close as well as live music or karaoke every Saturday night. Finishing off a week of fun-filled activities, on Sunday the Knight of Aveley will host a meat raffle during the day as well as streaming all the major sporting action.
To celebrate the pub’s reopening Kirsty and team have a fantastic launch party weekend planned that includes live music from ABBA Allstars on Friday 19th July as well as a family funday the following day. The funday will be raising much needed funds for Wipe Away Those Tears, one of the pub’s chosen charities and there will be music, games, a raffle and plenty of child friendly entertainment including a face painter and the highly popular Essex Party Monsters. The Knight of Aveley will also have G&J Kitchen providing a variety of delicious food on the day before welcoming a Tina Turner tribute act to the premises to carry the celebrations on well into the evening.
Concluding the launch party weekend festivities, DJ Mark Hughes will then join the pub for an evening of the best soul and rare groove tunes.
To find out more about the Knight of Aveley and its upcoming events, check out their Facebook page.