MICHELIN-STAR chef, Nigel Haworth, took his Instagram followers on a tour of a closed East Lancashire pub, The Three Fishes.

The social media video marks the start of the Mitton pub's renovations, giving locals a look at the pub before it is transformed into the ‘best pub in the country’. 

In the video he talked about being back in The Three Fishes after he started working for the business back in 2005.

 

(Instagram/@nigelhaworth)

In the two minute clip he said: “There’s a lot of cleaning up to do and a lot of working before we can get this place singing again.”

He walked through the property, commenting on the piles of dead leave outside and venturing into the kitchen where he remarked that “the pot wash is still intact.”

He added: “Actually- when you think nobody has been here for nearly two and a half years, it doesn’t look too bad… but the plan is to give this place a bit of a warmer feel.”

He also divulged a little of the history of the place and how they had a fish and chip range in the early days.

Mr Haworth spoke the The Lancashire Telegraph and revealed more about his reopening plans and what he hopes to achieve by the mid-October deadline.

Lancashire Telegraph: Nigel HaworthNigel Haworth

He said: “It’s going to be reopened in October as a pub- but this time it will have more of an intimate feel.

“Food will be seasonally led and link in with nice beers, fine wines and cask ales.”

Mr Haworth said they are also going to serve "ingredient led farm to fork food” with a great focus on sustainability and sourcing local food.

Nigel revealed plans to have an orchard on site, as well as chickens, lambs and bees.

He explained: “We have a real sense of purpose and want to be known as a pub which is connected to the area.”

In terms of the renovations, Nigel said it is going to be “quite an overhaul” as “it’s been shut for two and a half years so it’s in a bit of a sorry state.”

He added: “The structure is fine- but it just needs a bit of love.”

The gardens are being revamped, Nigel’s wife is working on the interiors and a new kitchen will be fitted. 

Nigel acknowledged that The Three Fishes was a “beacon of quality for many years”, but insists he is not trying to replicate it and instead wants to transform it into something entirely new.

He said: “Before it felt more like a restaurant and diner and not a pub which I think was one of the cornerstones of its downwards spiral.

“However, want to capture the same magic it had- which I feel I can replicate by getting a great team together.”