A Darlington pub will reopen just in time for Christmas after a major renovation to the historic venue. 

Rosie’s Tavern, formally known as the George, is set to open tomorrow (Thursday, December 21) after a major investment of £220,239 from the group that owns it. 

The pub is part of Proper Pubs, the community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns, which has more than 200 pubs across England, Scotland, and Wales, including a few more in County Durham.

Behind the bar is community hero and passionate operator, Claire King, who has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the hospitality industry.

She is a popular local figure, having raised thousands of pounds for local and national charities.

The Northern Echo: Rosie’s Tavern, formally known as the George, is set to open on December 21Rosie’s Tavern, formally known as the George, is set to open on December 21 (Image: ROSIE'S)

In June this year, Claire did a 15000ft Sky Dive for Help for Heroes overcoming her fear of heights and flying.

She also helped to raise money for Marie Curie, sponsoring a customer of her previous pub who was doing a cycle challenge from Vietnam to Cambodia.

She looks forward to welcoming old and new customers into Rosie's Tavern and further cementing it as a community pillar.

The pub has completely transformed to create a new look and feel with fresh decor to appeal to the local community.

With a complete interior redecoration, the pub will feature a brand-new bar, flooring, and furniture throughout, as well as a snug seating area with booth seating, to ensure a welcoming look and feel.

For opening night, the pub will be celebrating with a Christmas Party and Fizz reception followed by a live performance from musician Audios from 8.30pm.

This will be followed by an action-packed weekend of live music, karaoke and a DJ, as well as plenty of live sports for customers to enjoy.

Claire said: “The pub looks fantastic, and I can’t believe the transformation.

"I’m really excited to get behind the bar, meet all our customers and support our local community.

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"We’ll be starting off by collecting food for a local food bank, and donations to get a defibrillator installed.

“Pubs are the hub of their community, and we can’t wait to be the hub of Darlington”.

Claire is keen to support local causes, including the local foodbank and will be initially aiming to raise money to install a lifesaving defibrillator at Rosie’s.

Matthew Gurney, operations director for Proper Pubs, added: “I’m really excited about the opening of Rosie’s Tavern.

"The team has worked hard on the refurbishment, and we’re just finalising the finishing touches ready to open in just a few days’ time.

“On behalf of the Proper Pubs team, we would like to wish our community hero, Claire, every inch of success for the future in making Rosie’s Tavern a fantastic hub of the community”.