The chain in charge of a village pub has vowed to 'completely revamp' the venue before it reopens next year.

Last month, fledgling pub chain Norfolk Table Ltd announced it had added Hethersett's King's Head to its growing portfolio of venues, and promised to reopen the pub early next year.

The news was met with excitement from locals, who had been waiting for news about the pub's future since it closed last July.

The Ei owned venue features a 40 cover restaurant, beer garden and two bar areas, but its new landlords said a lot of work was needed to get the interior up to scratch before its relaunch in January.

James Pearce, marketing manager for Norfolk Table Ltd, said months of sitting empty had left the pub looking neglected, but that the company was excited to begin its transformation into what it hoped would be a family friendly music venue.

He said: "We will be putting a lot of money into bringing the pub up to our brand standards, and that will include a complete refit of the restaurant and bar areas. The chain is all about live music and great food, and we want the look to reflect that."

On Thursday the chain relaunched Gibraltar Gardens in Norwich, and said the city centre pub had taken priority in the run up to Christmas.

However, Mr Pearce said the King's Head would be given some much needed care in January and February, and hoped to open its doors to customers soon after Christmas.

He said: "It's a fantastic location for a pub and obviously Hethersett is growing rapidly, so we want to ensure people have a quality venue close by."

The company hopes to employ at least 30 new members of staff once the pub reopens, and will extend the venue's opening hours to allow customers to drop in for morning coffee and pastries.

Mr Pearce added: "We want the pub to feel like it's run by Norfolk Table Ltd, but we know there are differences between a city centre and village pub. The King's Head will definitely have its own unique feel."