THE Grand Union pub in Cowley High Street, which has been closed for a month, is undergoing a £330,000 refurbishment.

Work began on Monday (16) and is expected to take six weeks, with reopening planned for late November. A total of 25 new jobs will be created.

The pub is being renamed The Runway by licensees and Uxbridge restaurant operators Yoga Mogantas and Nayan Chande, who are working with Heineken-owned Star Pubs and Bars.

The aim is to restore The Grand Union to its former glory as a traditional family-friendly pub and introduce freshly-prepared food.

Outside work will include repainting and adding new signage. The inside will be refurbished throughout in a vintage country pub style.

There will be a bar area for those wanting to enjoy a drink, a lounge and a restaurant.  A new kitchen will be installed to enable The Runway to focus on food.

Yoga and Nayan, who also run Tamara Lounge in Uxbridge as well as other sites in Northwood and West London, were inspired to take on the pub by the lack of places specialising in British food in the area.

Yoga said: “The Runway will serve good quality British food – everything from fish and chips to steaks -  and, of course, roasts on a Sunday.

“All the dishes will be home-cooked and freshly-prepared, using ingredients from local growers and farmers wherever possible. There’ll be an equal focus on the bar, with a good range of beers including cask ales.

 “Uxbridge is a lovely town and we’re delighted to be able to open another business here.  The Runway is an impressive building and the pub has lots of potential. It just needs TLC and investment.

“We’ll be giving it just that. We want to make it an asset to Uxbridge once again. It will be a new beginning for the pub, hence the name.”

Tim Galligan, Star Pubs and Bars operations director, said: “Yoga and Nayan have a great track record in restaurants. Their food is superb.

“We feel fortunate that such experienced and talented operators are taking on the pub as their own and working with us to revive its fortunes”

A second phase of work to revamp the garden in time for the Spring will begin once The Runway has reopened.