REGULARS will be welcomed back to one of Worcester's most historic pubs when it reopens its doors later this month.

The King's Head, in Sidbury, has undergone a major refurbishment costing £250,000.

Locals will now be able to enjoy a pint on the new courtyard, which overlooks the canal, or take refuge in the big lounge which has been extended.

Renovation work has also involved the demolition of the skittle alley and the building of new kitchen and toilet facilities.

While the pub, which was a popular venue for music, may have taken on a new look the incoming licensees, Jim and Mary Crighton, may be familiar to many of the regulars.

The couple have lived in Aberdeen for the past 20 years, but they wanted to return to Mrs Crighton's home town.

"We're really looking forward to welcoming our customers, both regulars and visitors too," said Jim.

"We're feeling really at home back in Worcester."

Mary said they had tried to create a Mediterranean atmosphere inside the bar, owned by the Wolverhampton and Dudley brewery, which is scheduled to open on Sunday, April 15.

"We have used terracotta and gold for the interior to achieve this feel which is very summery.

"As the pub is renowned for it's music, we hope to get some of the college students involved with performing at lunchtime.

"We are expecting the courtyard to be popular, as we've added three arches where people can sit and look out across the canal."

During the work, a snippet of history was found under the floorboards of the pub.

Former landlord Alan Hope discovered a copy of the front pages of the Evening News and Times from Tuesday, August 23, 1938.

The paper proclaimed cricket legend Len Hutton a hero after he made a record score of 364 runs in a Test match at the Oval against Australia.