"These days people tend to forget the reason you come to a pub is to socialise. If you come in on your own and fancy a chat then the best place is the bar.”

It is this idea which is at the centre of the newly-refurbished Three Graces, which now has a line of high stools at the bar, and retains a relaxing laidback vibe with its new Italian-themed decor.

Manager Joanne Saville, who took over the Portland Road venue in August, oversaw the changes and is imprinting a bit of her personality on the drinking spot.

The pub was chosen by Birra Moretti to undergo an Italian makeover in March – with a black and white tiled floor replacing its wooden floorboards, terracotta walls instead of the teal paint job and prints of paintings by Italian masters surrounding the space.

And there was a surprise when the pub received a series of Italianate busts to scatter around the pub.

“One of the statues looked just like one of the chaps who works behind the bar,” says Saville referring to a statue which now sports a pair of black-framed glasses.

“It is the spitting image of him – all the regulars loved it. When he’s working everyone asks why he has his own statue.

“At first he hated it but now I think he kind of likes it. It was such a spooky coincidence.”

The Italian look matches the pub’s monicker, taken from the painting by Raphael, who also lent his name to the road running alongside the Three Graces’s outdoor patio.

And to go along with the look is a Mediterranean-heavy menu, created by the former chef to the Algerian ambassador Fattah “Stefan” Derrahi, who came to the pub from Mascara in Western Road.

In the next few weeks, the menu is set to expand its range of pizzas and risottos owing to public demand.

“We do fish and chips and burgers, we’re not trying to be a gastropub,” says Saville, who adds that Stefan’s traditional Sunday roasts with all the trimmings are also a big draw.

“The dough for the pizzas is all made by Stefan, who cooks them in a stone oven.

“We’re also bringing in grazing boards, with meats and cheeses. We have specials which change every three or four days to keep it fresh.

“It’s about listening to customers and adapting to what people like.”

There are offers of two meals for £11.50 from Monday to Thursday, and two starters and two mains for £20 on Tuesdays.

Keeping to the theme, the drinks menu includes a range of Italian wines and spirits, including Grappa, Disaronno and Tuaca.

Birra Moretti is obviously on the menu too, including their dark lager Moretti La Rossa, although ale-lovers will find a selection from Brighton-based The North Laine brewery, as well as Dark Star in Partridge Green and Ballards in Nyewood.

The Three Graces provides an alternative to The Stoneham on the other side of the road, which specialises in DJs and a pre-clubbing experience.

Saville has ensured the background music in The Three Graces is subtle and relaxed, so people can chat without screaming into each other’s ears.

The furniture mixes dining tables with luxurious sofas, with newspapers on hand during the day.

The 94-capacity space is even available for hire as a location for wedding receptions and birthday parties.

Having previously worked at The Bridge in High Street, Shoreham, and The Basketmakers Arms in Gloucester Road, Brighton, Saville has introduced a series of regular nights to go alongside the popular Wednesday pub quiz.

There is an open mic every other Thursday, stand-up comedy on the last Tuesday of every month, and live bands on the first Saturday of every month.

“We had a set menu on Valentine’s Day with steaks and bottles of bubbly,” she says. “The Three Graces can be quite intimate – we have little corners where couples can sit.

“There are pubs in town which rely on the tourist trade, where people pop in.

“On the outskirts of town and in a residential area you really have to be welcoming for everyone and get on well with your neighbours.

“If you do it well then people will travel and come and see you.”