STAFF at an "iconic" city pub that closed for eight years are celebrating a successful reopening with faces old and new returning to the bar.

The Bush Inn reopened in the heart of St John's thanks to mother-daughter duo Sharon Jones and Madison with customers welcomed with open arms. 

The popular watering hole now offers live music on the last Friday of every month as well as on occasional Sunday afternoons

There are also cheese and wine nights, game nights on Mondays as well as bingo and quiz nights on alternate Wednesdays. 

Mrs Jones, the new landlady of The Bush Inn, said: "Our live music has been kicking off and we have musicians fully booked until April. 

"We have also introduced cheese and wine nights, quiz nights, bingo and game nights, so there's a lot of variety.

"This is my first time as a landlady so I didn't know what to expect but we have been welcomed with open arms into the centre of St Johns from the whole community. 

"I've seen a lot of old faces I've known since I was a child as well as friends of my brothers and sisters who were teenagers when they were last here, but we have also had a lot of new people who had been passing by and just decided to pop in for a quick drink."

The Bush Inn reopened on August 16 for the first time since the pandemic but "the first time it's really been open in eight years".

Mrs Jones continued: "It has gone much better than I expected to be honest. 

"It's been really nice being welcomed back into the community after so long. 

"The atmosphere is so relaxed and friendly. 

"A lot of our customers say that we have got just what they want in a pub, they don't necessarily want loud music, they just want to have a friendly face and a drink and go home.

"Feedback has been brilliant and I think a lot of people have echoed just how friendly we are."

The Bush Inn dates back to 1879 and has a listed bar.