A new Ibiza-style lounge bar is ready to open at a village pub next month following a landlord's £15,000 lockdown project.

The Old Coach and Horses, in Harbledown, Canterbury, is set to reopen on July 4 and will boast a fresh outdoor seating area catering for up to 40 people.

Named the Olive Grove, the mini complex of u-shaped sofas has been designed to adhere to social distancing rules.

Eddie Sargeant, landlord at the Church Hill-based pub for six months, kitted out the area himself - making the most of the lockdown period by working 10 hours each day on the project.

Now, he's all set to welcome his first customers and is itching to open next month.

"This is going to be something where customers literally say 'wow' when they see it," he said.

"There's nothing else like it in Canterbury - it's going to be a very cool and chilled place.

"It's really got that Mediterranean feel to it, it definitely looks the part.

"At the Olive Grove we can socially distance groups of up to six people.

"It'll be a full waiter service for food and drink, so customers will text the bar their order. They'll be hosted to tables as they arrive and there will be Covid rules on tables.

"I'm really looking forward to it opening as a lot of effort has gone into it and I'm sure it'll be well-liked. I've been here working on it everyday, a couple of people have helped along the way but I've been at it 10 hours each day."

Mr Sargeant, who also runs Teatros bar in the city centre's Orange Street, says the Ibiza-style Olive Grove will only be open to adults.

Graduated Canterbury art student Poppy Barrett was commissioned to paint the outdoor artwork on display, and a mini stage area has been created to potentially cater for small acoustic performances in the future.

Meanwhile, the existing pub garden will also be back up-and-running come July 4.

"We're properly set up to offer a full menu when we reopen," Mr Sargeant added.

"Up in the main garden, it'll be a family area. And the terrace is also going to reopen.

"The inside will obviously open but it might be that the outside areas come first and we later integrate the social distancing measures indoors, where we've got screens going up at the bar."

During lockdown, The Old Coach and Horses has supplied about 700 meals, free of charge, to over 70s in Harbledown.

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