Exclusive: sixth pub for Whiting & Hammond

Whiting & Hammond, the award-winning south-east multiple led by Brian Whiting, has opened its sixth pub.

The company has re-opened the Long Hop, Meopham, Kent, under its original name, the Cricketers Inn.

The landlord of the pub is well-known trade figure Gary Mallen, who has been involved in the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' review of rent setting in the pub sector.

The pub is the company's biggest project to date, with a refurbishment spend of £500,000 — it is located nine miles away from the firm's Chaser Inn.

A bar has been removed to create more dining space, the kitchen has been expanded and toilets placed upstairs.

Whiting added: "Gary has been very supportive, and I think is very excited with the building's transformation."

The pub will be run by Paul Giles, who has transformed business at the Farm @ Friday Street in Langney, Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Whiting said: "We're very excited — we can do another turn around and bring the Long Hop back to life."