New Haverhill bar and restaurant, Suffolk Chill N Grill, opens at site of Suffolk Punch pub that stood empty for years

A pub that had stood empty for years has been brought back to life, albeit in a different guise, and is welcoming customers over its threshold.

Suffolk Chill N Grill, in Leiston Road, Haverhill, now occupies the building that for many years had been home to the Suffolk Punch, the only pub serving the Clements estate until it closed down about five years ago.

Having stood empty during those intervening years, the leasehold for the premises was bought in January at auction by Ali Cicek, after he saw ‘potential’ in opening a bar and restaurant.

Ali, 61, once owned a takeaway in Kings Lynn, although that was some 30 years ago, and has not worked in the hospitality sector for 20 years.

However, he admitted the desire for a ‘new challenge’ led to him buying the building’s leasehold – which came with a covenant that meant it could not be redeveloped or converted into housing but had to be a community asset.

“I sold my house and said to myself I could buy something, and I bought this,” explained Ali, who divides his time between living in Haverhill, Cambridge and London.

Sitting in the bar and restaurant area, Ali explained: “It was a mess, downstairs and here. It took me nearly seven months to do it up.”

New flooring, lighting, bar fittings, and a new kitchen were all added and the building was redecorated and refurbished.

Although is has been open for some three weeks and it has hosted a number of parties and some music nights, with DJ Dan, a full menu has not yet been available.

Ali, who cooks himself and has taken on three part-time staff, intends to offer a full menu by this weekend.

It will offer some Turkish and Greek dishes, including a selection of starters, such as cacik, hummus, mozzarella sticks and a sharing platter.

The menu also has shish and kofte kebabs, a large selection of burgers, hot chicken wings and chicken goujons, a children’s menu and various side dishes and desserts, among them baklava.

Ali also intends to serve roast lunches on Sundays, with crumbles and cheesecakes for pudding.