AN esteemed restaurant critic and BBC MasterChef judge has reopened a restaurant and hotel in Wiveliscombe with a fresh, chic twist.

The White Hart is a hundred-year-old coaching inn situated within Wiveliscombe and ran as a restaurant and hotel for many years.

Much to the dismay of punters, The White Hart closed its doors earlier this year in July — the third eating establishment to do so in Wiveliscombe after The Courthouse and Zekki.

But shortly after its closure, a buyer came forward with the hopes of re-imagining the the establishment.

William Sitwell, restaurant critic for The Daily Telegraph and former editor of Waitrose Food has partnered with pub operator John Coward to give The White Hart a new lease of life.

Mr Sitwell said: “When The White Hart closed its doors in July of this year, I found the closure unnecessary and sad because it is a beautiful building. So I decided to do the one thing I thought I would never do, I made the bold decision to buy The White Hart.”

Mr Sitwell explained that he chose to rebrand the restaurant to an Italian cuisine because it is “accessible and the most popular for Brits.”

He added: “We are here for the town and the locals. We are dedicated to providing memorable hospitality and are grateful for the positive feedback we have received from the community.”

The White Hart has been rebranded as a smart hotel with 16 individually interior-designed en suite bedrooms and a ground floor re-imagined as a richly interior-designed Italian restaurant, bar, working, and meeting space branded ‘Casa Wivey’.

The dining room looks smarter with singularly distinctive food and an “upscale” feel.

The White Hart reopened its doors on Monday, December 2.

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