THE last pub in the main street in Dursley town centre is set to be converted into a Mediterranean restaurant.

The owner of The Kings Head in Parsonage Street, EI Group, is working with Bristol chain Mezzé Restaurants to expand into Gloucestershire for the first time.

Following a four-week closure after its last day as trading as a pub this Saturday, The Kings Head will be transformed into a restaurant.

Mezzé Restaurants, which has businesses in Thornbury, Downend and Congresbury – all converted pubs – will open in Dursley under EI’s Publican Partnerships scheme.

It is not the first time that the Kings Head has been given a Mediterranean theme. 

In 2000 the pub opened under new management as a wine bar and was described as having “a distinct Mediterranean feel” in a job advert.

Alex Tryfonos, Mezzé Restaurants manager, said that they had been considering Dursley for three or four years and that it was “a town on the rise”.

“We’ve been looking at Dursley for a number of years now and particularly the Kings Head which we think is almost ideal for what we need.

“In recent years there has been a lot of positive change in Dursley with new housing developments and the expansion at the swimming pool, and it is exactly the sort of place we want to be.

“Dursley is a brilliant town and it reminds me very much of Thornbury 10 years ago when we were opening our restaurant there.”

Subject to being granted planning permission by Stroud District Council, improvements to accessibility as well as moving the entrance will be made over the next few weeks, ahead of a planned opening in September.

All of the chain’s restaurants are in former pub premises and Mr Tryfonos says that this method is welcomed by communities.

“Our philosophy and belief is that communities are more welcoming of a traditional pub building rather than a new-build unit, so that is what we do,” he added.

“We want to make a few small changes which we think will improve the site but most things will remain unchanged.

“We want to keep some of the traditional pub and will create two sections, one a more pub feel and the other more as a restaurant.

“However we are planning to take things a bit more upmarket.”

Contractors are expected to begin work in early August and will be working on the site for about four weeks before the restaurant opens.