The Sirhowy pub, in Blackwood, will be reopening next week following a £1.43m refurbishment and expansion project.

An additional 36 full and part-time jobs have also been created at the pub, which is on Blackwood High Street.

Existing staff, who were deployed to other local Wetherspoon pubs during the closure for the work, are returning for the reopening.

The popular Wetherspoons pub originally opened in November 1999.

It has undergone a refurbishment project just over seven weeks, as well as an extension to the customer area and existing beer garden.

Wetherspoon has purchased the next-door building, a former takeaway shop, extending the pub by approximately 750sq ft and the beer garden by just over 1,500sq ft.

Inside the pub, which has been completely redecorated, there is a new colour scheme, new lighting and carpet has been installed throughout.

There is a new feature fire place in the new extended section of the pub, with booth seating to the perimeters, as well as a new openable shopfront, to the front of the building.

The bar has been refurbished and a new state-of-the-art coffee machine also installed.

Behind the scenes, new pizza ovens have been installed in a newly-extended kitchen and a new staff room and facilities have been added.

The toilets have also been completely renewed.

The new enlarged garden offers a beautiful outside space, accessed via new fully openable bi-fold doors which link the pub to the garden. There is also a Juliet balcony, with views from the upper ground floor to the lower areas of the beer garden.

The enhanced garden has renewed tables and chairs for outdoor dining, to accommodate an additional 95 customers. Potted trees, shrubs and flowers fill the space, together with a new light and shade canopy.

Pub manager Sarah Davidson said: “Wetherspoon has spent £1.43m on the pub, providing further investment into the town, as well as new jobs for local people. The new-look extended garden will also prove a great asset to the pub.

“Myself and my team are looking forward to welcoming customers back into The Sirhowy and we are confident that they will be impressed by the refurbishment and extension to the building.”