An Oldham pub is set to reopen as a restaurant next week after more than four months closed.
The Royal Oak, in Failsworth, will open its doors to the public on Wednesday and its regulars will see a stark difference in the venue - now home to The Oak Bar & Grill.
Landlady Annette Nokes has teamed up with Stonegate Brewery, the largest pub company in the UK, to convert the Oldham Road establishment into a high-end diner serving classic British cuisine.
"We've got a really fantastic team, an amazing chef, and we've completely redecorated it so we're ready to go - we just need to wait for the furniture which should be coming on Monday," the 52-year-old said.
"We're just going to be a restaurant and we'll be open Wednesday till Sunday, it will be table service so people can't come in and just get a drink.
"When we were approached by the brewery I said I wouldn't take it on as a pub - Failsworth needs a place like this."
Following the former alehouse shutting in September, Annette took over the pub with her partner Andrew Povah in December and the duo hope that their venture will inspire more businesses to open in their hometown.
The 49-year-old said: "We're hoping to transform Failsworth to a place like Royton, so wanted to open this type of business and we hope someone else will start investing in the town.
"It's just a vision of our own really, there's a shed outside that we're looking at converting into a pizza hut at some point too.
"We're really hoping people will follow suit because there's no reason why Failsworth can't be as nice as Royton."
Andrew explained that he will still be working as a postman but will be helping out behind the scenes, while the couple both heaped praise on their "well-respected" 39-year-old chef Rachel Cropper.
He added: "We've got our chef in and she wants to bring something different to Failsworth."
The Oak Bar & Grill will have a daytime menu and an evening menu, a barista-style coffee machine, and on Sundays will just serve roast dinners, while all produce will be sourced locally.
Despite no longer operating as a pub, the venue will boast of high-end beers on draught including IPAs, craft beers, cast ales, and premium lagers like Cruz Campo.
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