A pub with a troubled past is set to have a revamp after being taken over by new management.

The Bull Inn at East Farleigh will be getting an upgraded patio area and brand-new cocktail bar.

Co-owners Mitko Ratsov and Okan Yildiz have known each other for four years and met when working at Bliss, a Mediterranean restaurant on King Street, Maidstone.

Now, the 34-year-old bartender and 32-year-old general manager have started their own business venture together.

Mitko, who has been in the hospitality industry for the last 17 years, prides himself as a mixologist and creates craft cocktails.

He said: “It's always been a dream to have my own place. We work really well together.

“I feel like I can pull this off a lot easier with him. It's quite a big place and has everything we need.

“It just needs to be sorted in the right way and looked after. We don’t want it to go back to the way it was before.”

On Friday, January 17, they held an official launch party with the Leigh Highwood Band playing.

It was the first time the pub had live music since they took over, and around 100 people attended to enjoy the event.

Mitko added: “It was packed – there wasn’t a space to sit. They are lovely musicians, have a good following and are local as well.

“Everyone really enjoyed the night.”

The venue on Lower Road has had a long history and troubled past.

In 2022, it closed suddenly and was revealed that it had been under investigation for animal welfare concerns following calls from concerned neighbours.

The pub was home to a petting zoo with ponies, goats, ducks and rabbits.

After more than a year of being boarded up, it was announced that The Bull Inn would open again at the beginning of February.

Now owned by the Stonegate Group, the boozer was given a five-figure refurb, and 33-year-old Oliver Aubrey took the helm.

At the time he ran three other sites across Kent; Drakes in Maidstone town centre, The Walnut Tree in Tonbridge Road and The Little Gem in Aylesford.

New landlord Mitko says the experience so far has been “very rewarding” and hopes that their hard work will pay off.

He added: “We're on the right path and doing the right things.

“During the last few years, I think the wrong people have looked after it. Not the last landlord, but the ones before.

“I saw the stories about animal welfare and how it had been boarded up.

“For that reason, we are here and work seven days a week. If you want a job done properly, you do it yourself.”

The pair already have big plans for the pub – with a revamped patio and garden area set to be finished by the summer.

A new tiled floor will be laid, along with upgraded furniture and gas heaters.

To protect customers from the elements, a glass canopy is set to be installed.

“We want it to be comfortable for people to enjoy outside even during winter,” Mitko explained.

“At the moment it's cold, dark and unusable. These things need to be fixed.

“There is also going to be a soft play area in the garden for children.”

The disused function room inside the boozer will be transformed into a cocktail bar in the near future.

Mixologist Mitko is looking forward to serving his own special beverages, along with the well-known classics.

So far they have added more lighting inside and installed CCTV at the venue.

In the hopes of starting a new darts team, an electric dartboard was fitted, which has special lights and cameras that can automatically count scores.

The co-owners have decided to use an ANPR parking system, which requires customers to add their registration on arrival.

Every Friday the pub has live music and updates will be posted on their Facebook page.

Mitko added: “We want to become a family-orientated pub, with a kids' playground and be dog friendly.

“We want to do it step by step. So we will spend as much as is needed.”