TWO pubs have received a large investment from a family-owned brewer.

The Dragon in Horsham and The Cherry Tree in Crawley have benefited from £400,000 in funding from the Hall and Woodhouse brewery (H&W).

The money in both cases has been used to carry out major developments to the properties.

Both pubs are operated by local entrepreneur Oscar Higareda and run in partnership with H&W.

The investment is the second largest to date within H&W’s business partnership estate.

More than £270,000 was invested into The Dragon to refurbish the pub’s interiors, including an orangery extension which has created 38 additional covers and the installation of a fresh meat counter to support the pub’s unique Japanese grill offering.

The garden has also benefited from an update and now has an open fire pit with surrounding decking.

Similarly at The Dragon’s sister pub, The Cherry Tree, more than £170,000 has been invested to carry out significant internal and external refurbishments to bring the pub in line with the concept at The Dragon.

The owners believe the pub’s new look has created a “welcoming atmosphere which is complemented by the interior makeover”.

A fresh meat counter has also been installed in the pub to strengthen its menu offering.

Oscar Chacon, business partner at Hall and Woodhouse, said: “I am very proud of the major refurbishments which we have undertaken in partnership with H&W at both The Dragon and The Cherry Tree.

“It’s great to see how well received it has been by our guests.

“The team at H&W understood my vision for the pubs and have supported my desire to reinvent our hospitality offering, to ensure our guests keep returning for years to come.

“As a multiple licensee I have spoken to a few pub companies over the years with the idea of expanding my portfolio of pubs, and by far the best agreement I have come across is the H&W Business Partnerships Agreement.

H&W offers personalised support and I really value their help to develop my business into something bigger.”

H&W is a local independent family company that brews award-winning Badger ales and runs a collection of 180 pubs and inns across the south of England.

H&W is a “values-led business where its team are at the heart of everything it aspires to”.