Excitement builds as historic Gosport pub set to reopen after £242,000 makeover

After a period of closure, the Queen’s Head in Gosport will throw open its doors on Friday at midday following the significant investment. The watering hole has received a full refurbishment and will reopen with a new operator at the helm of the historic pub. 

As part of the investment, the pub reopens as a Craft Union venue, putting sports and community at the centre of it. A brand new pool table and state of the art dart board feature as part of the interior and exterior makeover, making the Queen’s Head’s large beer garden the perfect spot for upcoming summer socials. The pub’s TV viewing and audio facilities have also been upgraded, improving customer experience. 

Michelle Fraser, who grew up locally, has run pubs in Southampton as well as the Totton Conservative Club. Michelle will be stepping in as the new landlord of the pub. 

She said: “I am thrilled to be joining the Queen’s Head and getting this fantastic community pub back open. I am committed to the next chapter of the pub's journey and hope to make it a community hub that all can enjoy. The investment into the pub has created seven new local jobs and the Queen’s Head team and I have plenty of ideas to bring this vision to life, so stay tuned.”

The pub is planning on hosting local pool and darts league matches and will set up a Queen’s Head team. The venue will also be hosting a number of weekly events for the community to get involved with such as a games day every Tuesday, a hosted quiz on Wednesday evenings and ‘Golden Oldies’ on Thursdays. Heading into the weekend, guests can enjoy a DJ set every Friday night as well as live music or karaoke every Saturday. 

To officially welcome the community back to the pub, the Queen’s Head will be hosting a fun-filled launch party weekend from July 12 - 14 July. “Guests are invited to join the pub as it kicks off the celebrations from 9pm on the Friday with an ABBA Allstars performance as well as a live DJ,” a spokesperson for the pub said. 

“On the Saturday, the pub will be putting on a charity day in aid of Sophie’s Legacy, a local charity that supports the families of children who are in hospitals across the UK. From 1pm – 5pm guests can make the most of Queen’s Head’s funday, with music, games, a raffle, prizes and a variety of children’s entertainment, including a magician and face painter. The pub also welcomes Juno Rising to the stage to entertain guests with the very best of ‘80s and ‘90s music, from Fleetwood Mac to Tina Turner, this electric duo will have everyone on their feet dancing.” 

On Sunday 14 July, as the pub’s launch party celebrations come to a close, as do the Euros and the Queen’s Head has a “fantastic event planned” to commemorate the occasion. “Guests can join the pub from 3pm – 8pm for the final afternoon of the Euros and with their brilliant new TV screens and audio facilitates, there’s no better place to be but the Queens Head,” the spokesperson said.

To find out more about the Queen’s Head and their upcoming events, go to their Facebook page.