Popular Tring pub to reopen under new name after six-week makeover

Acorn Pubs confirmed it is reopening the Akeman under a new name and branding. When the bar reopens on August 1 it will be known as The Tufted Duck.

The pub formerly known as the Akeman was one of several bars purchased by the umbrella company after the Oakman Group sold off several of its properties in the Three Counties area.

Acorn Pubs shut down the bar for a six-week makeover in late June. The pub group also revealed that the new name was chosen to honour Tring’s wildlife heritage.

It was inspired by a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds quote, which states: “The tufted duck is a common sight in and around Tring. The

Tring Reservoirs are a major local stronghold and a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, regularly hosting large numbers of these diving ducks all year round.”

Nature experts describe the ducks as ‘highly gregarious, often resting in large flocks and mixing well with all sorts of other waterfowl’.

Acorn Pubs operations manager, Ian Slater, said: “Don’t worry, we are well aware that this pub already holds a special place within the community, it was already a beautiful, charming pub, so it won’t be unrecognisable when we return it to you, but it’s time to give the old girl a bit of love to make your future visits more comfortable.

"The refurbishment and name change reflects a real ‘local pub feel’ and signals a new chapter in the building’s life. We’ve taken on lots of new crew to join the existing faces that you know and love and have derived a new seasonal menu and range of drinks. Charlie sits at the head of it all and is raring to re-open and see what everyone thinks. We can’t wait to welcome everyone from Saturday August 1.”

Acorn Pubs revealed that it has undertaken similar refurbishment projects at eight other pubs. These makeovers were designed to ‘breathe new life’ into the bars and that the level of refurbishment varied from pub to pub.