A new pub that is set to welcome customers at the end of this month has revealed that they are prioritising employing local staff. 

The Coat and Bear will be welcoming guests to their swanky new establishment on Tuesday, October 29. 

The pub is situated just opposite the Kennet Centre in the heart of Newbury, and work is already well underway to get everything sorted for the grand opening. 

Senior Communications Manager Emma Martin said that the whole team is very excited to start serving customers. 

"We are absolutely hiring people that live local to Newbury and feel that this is really important," Ms Martin said. 

"Our general manager is local to Newbury and knows the area really well. Most of our staff are from the town."

Ms Martin went on to say that some members of the team will come from other pubs in the Heartwood Inn group, but they plan for the majority to be from the area. 

"Because it wasn't a pub or a hotel before, it has been so nice for us to know that we really have been contributing to the local economy by creating new jobs," she said. 

"I think we will have created about 40 to 50 jobs by the time we open which is just great."

The staff will soon start their rigorous training period which lasts for two weeks where all of them go through all the different processes in the kitchen and in front of house. 

They have also invited a number of guests to dine and stay with them, something that they call 'mocks.'

These guests will give the new pub their honest opinions as well as areas they think they need to improve. 

"This is a really good way of the staff getting a final bit of training before the big day," Ms Martin said. 

The pubs menu is a three-star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association which is the highest ranking they offer to establishments. 

A lot of their food comes from UK suppliers and they also work seasonally and menu changes throughout the year should be expected. 

"All of our food is sourced responsibly and ethically," Ms Martin continued. "We are really keeping to our sustainable profile. We are also very concerned with recycling and disposing of waste ethically.

"Our menu changes four times a year with the seasons. We are so excited to invite guests to come and try our delicious food!"