A HAMPSHIRE country pub with a "unique" menu and an outdoor pizza oven, The Cricketers Inn is very popular with the locals.
Matt Etherington took over as landlord of the Cricketers Inn, Longparish, in March 2020.
It had looked as if the pub would be permanently closed.
He said: "The pub had been closed for a while and was quite a mess.
"Someone in the village saw that it was up for sale and messaged me, I thought about it and decided to go for it because I love the area and know a lot of the people in the village.
"I knew The Cricketers from years ago as just a warm, friendly pub, and I really thought I could make a go of it."
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Matt, who has spent his fair share of time in the hospitality industry, be it front of house or as a chef, took on the challenge of resurrecting the pub.
"I spent the first lockdown clearing it out, doing it up and getting it ready to open.
"This is the first pub I've run as Landlord, and it is very much my baby."
What's on the menu?
Matt, who has plenty of experience as a chef, created what he described as a "unique menu".
"I'm a foodie myself, but I didn't want to turn it into a gastropub, I wanted it to be a country pub with a good menu.
"We have an emphasis on fish and game dishes, particularly locally sourced venison, we use everything from the venison liver to the haunches sometimes and fillet steaks.
"When in season, we usually have pheasant too, and plenty of fish to supplement some classics, our beer-battered fish is always on the menu.
"Sunday nights at The Cricketers is always 'pizza night', and we always sell out and run out of dough, so we urge everyone to book to avoid disappointment.
"I had this pizza oven built, it's a proper wood-fired pizza oven and it's always a big hit.
"Our menu is very different from other pubs in the region, which does make us a bit unique.
What drinks are on offer?
The Cricketers has an array of drinks and tipples, which are a hit with the locals.
"I like to regularly change the ales we have, we tend to steer away from the 'big brands', we use Flower Pots a lot, we almost always have one of their beers on.
"We have a wide selection of gins, both local and from far away, and we often get compliments about the wine we serve too."
What entertainment is on offer?
This pub is not just about food and drink, it has plenty more to offer.
"Two or three times a year we'll have bands here, New Year's Eve, and we had one for August Bank Holiday, we were involved this year in the Love Andover music event too.
"Through the winter, we try to do a quiz once a month, which is always full, and it always goes down really well.
On the inside, the pub oozes with personality.
"My quirky side comes out with the decor inside, we've got antlers on the wall, Victorian keys hanging from the ceiling, and I always try to ensure that the pub is warm so we have two log burners indoors which help to keep it cosy, especially in the winter."
On the outside, the pub has a large garden, with a marquee, and even two tortoises.
There are plenty of areas to sit down and enjoy a pint, and the quirky aesthetic also seeps into the garden.
"I'm also very proud of the garden, we have lots of herbs and plants which help to keep it looking nice, and I have to say, I'm particularly proud of my hanging baskets."
Matt's success with the Cricketers has meant he has been able to branch out.
"Because of the success here, I took over the Half Moon and Spread Eagle in Micheldever in July this year, and I'm trying to create a similar ambience there.
A stunning, quirky pub with an incredibly unique menu, which has been thriving since lockdown, The Cricketers Inn, Longparish, deservedly takes the spot as the Advertiser's Pub of the Month for August 2023.
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