The Talisman in Park Gate, Southampton, has re-opened to guests following a major refurbishment totalling over £1.3million.

The much-loved pub has been part of the Hall & Woodhouse family for nearly 40 years and sits at the heart of its local community.

During a four-month project, extensive work was carried out to create a warm and inviting interior, with many interesting features and quirks to delight guests. The garden area was also enhanced significantly to provide a lovely terrace, full of greenery and soft lighting.

Mark James, Property Director at Hall & Woodhouse, said: “We are delighted to unveil the new look Talisman to our local community, and hope that it is a place that our guests enjoy for many years to come.

“We’ve consciously kept some of the key characteristics from the ‘old’ Talisman, so it has not lost its charm, but we’ve added in a few more modern features to give the pub a fresher, lighter feel. The new layout is also enhanced by creating distinctly different areas to suit our trade from breakfast to bedtime.”

The Talisman now creates a warm and welcoming space with its new relaxed dining area called the ‘pantry’. This is a place for guests to meet for everything from coffee and cakes, through to pub food and drink.

Leading on from the pantry is a new landscaped urban garden with extensive outdoor seating, decorated with potted plants and conveniently covered (and heated) areas.

Additionally, the Talisman boasts an upgraded dining area and a fully refurbished bar area with cosy nooks and crannies, and comfy upholstery to encourage guests to feel at home.

The new bar area makes the perfect setting for meeting with family and friends for a drink in the ‘Beer Cave’, with its curved ceiling partly made using a collection of Hall & Woodhouse’s Badger Beer bottles.

As an environmentally conscious business, reclaimed items and re-purposed parts from the ‘old’ Talisman have been used in the refurbishment to ensure the development is as sustainable as possible.

Behind the scenes, upgrades to the kitchen, cellar and team accommodation have also been carried out as part of these works.

Hall & Woodhouse commissioned a Bristol-based artist, Jody, to design a mural for the side of the building which champions the pub’s heritage within the local area.

Mark explained: “Jody’s mural design incorporates the nearby Talisman strawberry fields, from which the pub got its name,  with an ethereal character that signifies the need to take time out of life’s busy hustle and bustle in order to daydream every now and again.”