TWENTY jobs could be created as part of "exciting plans" to revamp a former Romsey pub into a restaurant with bed and breakfast rooms.

Planning chiefs at Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) gave the green light for Alfi Blue Limited to add 12 bed and breakfast rooms to the rear of the Dukes Head, Greatbridge Road, as an extension.

The 20 jobs that are up for grabs are full-time and part-time roles and form part of a major investment in the business.

Bosses behind the project have now released exclusive images to the Advertiser revealing what customers can look forward to when the former pub is given a new look.

In a sneak peek, the new entrance to the Dukes Head boasts outside space that looks ideal for customers who want to dine al fresco.

Readers can also see from an aerial shot the scale of the project and what the venue should look like when it is complete - with work set to kick off in early June.

The business will be managed together with the "hugely popular" The Four Horseshoes pub in Nursling, according to a spokesperson from the Dukes Head.

They said: "These are exciting new plans to bring a much-loved, former pub back to life, which we are confident local people will support.

"More information will be released exclusively in the Romsey Advertiser in the coming months."

This comes after community leaders backed the plans to give the building a new lease of life.

Cllr Nick Adams-King, who represents Blackwater on the borough council, previously told the Advertiser the application seemed to be aiming at the fishermen market and not "people who will be partying all night".

He stressed he wanted to see the former pub put back into use to create jobs for the local area.

Cllr Dorothy Baverstock, who represents the Romsey Cupernham ward, said she was “ in favour of anything that creates more beds for visitors to Romsey”.

The plans for the development were approved on August 28, 2020.