WATCH: Portsmouth's oldest pub reopens amid hopes to restore it to city's best

The Dolphin in High Street, Old Portsmouth, was closed just over a week ago but has now reopened with a fresh look, more entertainment, greater variety on the menu and a new landlord, Chris Vaux, who is joined by a new passionate team.

Chris, 44, has worked in the Portsmouth pub and music industry for nearly 25 years and had previously taken the reins of Southsea Village. Prior to that he spent four years at Albert Road boozer, The Lord John Russell. Now he assumes control of Portsmouth’s oldest pub, which first opened in 1716.

Chris is joined by new  staff Gina Bouchala, working front of house, with her husband Robin as head chef. The pub reopened today (Friday) at 4pm.

Chris said: “I’ve had a personal and professional relationship with the pub for a long time, since I was a young man. When it became available my head and my heart started thinking about how this pub could be great. But you can’t make a great pub without great people and when the opportunity came up I looked to Gina and her husband who have the drive to make it one of the best pubs in Portsmouth.

“The pub’s a really culturally important part of the city with links to the navy and its heritage and we want to bring some of that back with fantastic food and a great service and team. We want this to be a place where people come and relax, enjoy special occasions and to be a second home for them in Portsmouth.

“It’s been a real graft around the clock for the last seven days and there’s been a lot of people helping to get it up to the standard it is now. We’re very proud of it…we had MP Stephen Morgan here last night and he was very impressed with it.

“We now have fresh food, a fresh range of beers and local wines, locally sourced spirits and handcrafted cocktails. We hope people will feel the energy and welcome from a group of people who have fallen in love with the place when they come here.”

Gina said: “I think the reaction to the opening will be very positive. We’ve got a lot of love and energy to make it a great place.”