The Three Travellers pub, Dagenham reopening after refurb

The Three Travellers pub in Wood Lane closed in December last year before being placed on the market as available to let.

After 10 months out of action, the boozer is reopening at the end of September under new leaseholders and business partners Vijay Balasingham and Murali Arirajasingam.

The duo acquired the leasehold on March 25 this year.

Vijay and Murali took over the pub in March(Image: Vijay Balasingham)

“We’ve had pretty much a complete renovation," Vijay told this paper.

“It was quite run down when we took over and we’ve spent around half-a-million in five or six months.

“We’ve got brand new carpets, a brand new bar area, new ceilings and lightings, new tables and chairs.

“Everything’s pretty much brand new, even the toilets for ladies and gentlemen.

“It’s been a lot of work."

The bar area has been refurbished(Image: Vijay Balasingham)

Vijay said one of the most notable changes is the new dining area.

The private dining lounge will be run as the same business as the pub but will offer restaurant-like seating for up to 50 guests.

Vijay said: “Food will be proper English pub food like Sunday roasts, fish and chips, pies, sausage and mash.

“We’ll also do south Asian food and in a few months we intend to start doing Spanish food like tapas and paella."

Food will be available for delivery on Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo.

The refurb has cost around £500,000(Image: Vijay Balasingham)

The building is Grade II listed so no structural changes have been made but the outside of the building has had a fresh lick of paint and the smoking area has been "updated" with some new seating, according to Vijay.

The pub will reopen its doors for the first time under the new owners next Tuesday (September 30) but will have an official "grand opening" on Friday (October 3).

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“We’ll open for the first time to local customers on Tuesday – like a bit of a trial," said Vijay.

“We’ll see how it all works – we’ve got a brand new team of staff who need to get used to the place for a few days and then on Friday October 3 we will have a grand opening.

“We’ll have decorations up outside and we’d like to invite local councillors and we will have a DJ from 8pm.

“The following night we’d like to do karaoke.”

Vijay said he is "so tired" from working across the past five or six months but equally "so excited" to welcome guests in for the first time.

“We’ve had people knock on our door asking when we’re opening," he said.

“Some people have told me that they’ve used this pub for 20 or 30 years and they’re actually a little bit anxious at how the renovation will look.

“The wait will be worth it.

“I’m really looking forward to it."