A pub destroyed in a fire is set for a £6.5million rebuild from the ground up.
The Osborne View in Hill Head was turned to ash when the building was engulfed by 10ft flames.
Seven months on, ambitious plans for the seaside watering hole will be put forward.
The pub’s parent company Hall & Woodhouse has planned a £6.5million spend on the refurbishment – one of the highest prices they have paid on a new build project.
“We are in the pre-planning stages, but if our plans get approved, this project will cost us significantly more than others we have done”, said property director Mark James.
If approved, Mr James hopes to get the ball rolling next summer, with a provisional completion date of summer 2026.
But he is committed to rebuilding a pub and revealed he rebuffed developers the day after the fire took hold.
He said: “When the fire happened, it would have been very easy for us to sell the land to developers.
“One even called me the day after to make an offer which was quite shocking really.
“It was an easy decision for us to keep the land and rebuild and put a pub back here.”
The pub, which has been in the area for more than 100 years, is set to return with a bang.
Mr James is keen to retain the cosy atmosphere while incorporating new elements.
The pub will remain four floors tall, with the top floor exclusively for staff accommodation.
READ MORE: Cause of huge fire at the Osborne View hotel has been revealed
The main entrance on the second floor will provide a relaxed dining experience – with the new addition of an outdoor terrace with retractable roof offering views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.
The floor below will be a more traditional restaurant, while the ground floor will remain a beach bar with an outdoor terrace.
The pub’s garden will be reduced in size with the introduction of a terrace to help staff serve customers more efficiently.
“We want to create a real link between the beach and the pub, which we hope the terrace will do”, Mr James added.
He said: “By rebuilding The Osborne we want to create a place the community is going to love.
“We expect to take on around 50 to 60 members of staff with our general manager set to return to the business when we reopen.”
The popular pub caught fire on February 22 following an electrical fault in a tumble dryer inside the building.
Firefighters went to the scene and pumped water from the Solent to battle the blaze.
The planning application is due to be submitted in the coming weeks.
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