It is open season once more for the Huntsman and Hounds pub in Walworth, which flung open its doors on Thursday after it shut in 2014.
There to cut the ribbon at the 160-year-old Elsted Street local were Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP, Neil Coyle, and Walworth Society member, Diana Cochrane.
Also present was East Walworth councillor Darren Merrill, while dozens of local packed in to celebrate.
Peter Birdsall, whose family business has taken The Huntsman’s reins, said: “I went along to the Walworth Society’s meetings and we were really interested to hear they wanted a family pub, so we convinced the landlord to let us have a lease for a few years.
“Being a freehouse means we can have a different selection of craft beers and ales. We will have speciality gins and vodkas and interesting teas and coffees.
“We will also have a book exchange and keep some board games too.”
The pub was saved by campaigners for the Walworth Society, who convinced a developer to preserve the building’s ground floor and basement, and spoke up for its planning application at Southwark Council.