See inside The Lord Arthur Lee in Fareham as it reopens under new management duo

The Lord Arthur Lee on West Street reopened its doors on Thursday, February 26 under the stewardship of lifelong friends Stevie Barrass and Tash Hurst. The duo are putting an emphasise on music and are aiming to ingratiate themselves in the community through charity and family events.

The pub had previously been a Wetherspoons before it was sold off in 2024. It reopened in May of 2024 under new ownership with Steven Smith taking over as landlord. While the ownership has remained the same, it closed its doors earlier this year prompting Stevie and Tash to approach the owner to see if they could step in.

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Its opening night will host a karaoke and DJ night as it looks to bring nightlife back to the Fareham. Stevie said: “Fareham used to have Chicago Rock and the Brass Monkey, so at night it always used to be alive, especially at the weekends. It’s not like that anymore, the nightlife is not what it used to be so we are hoping to bring some of that back.

“The plan is to definitely have more music, get local bands and DJs in, and also do more quizzes, bingo, meat raffles. We are also hoping to be able to reopen the kitchen to start offering food again.”

As well as night life, the new management are hoping to attract families to the pub with an Easter bonnet parade already planned.

Following on from the pubs opening night, a ska and reggae night is being held on Saturday, February 28. More details can be found on the Lord Arthur Lee Facebook page.

See inside The Lord Arthur Lee ahead of its reopening in the pictures below: