Worrall Thompson confirms he is re-opening pub this month

Antony Worrall Thompson is putting his money where his mouth is, confirming his support for the Proud of Pubs campaign by reopening his pub, the Greyhound at Rotherfield Peppard, Oxfordshire.

The re-opening of the pub, on July 17, will coincide with this year's Proud of Pubs Week, which starts on Saturday (July 11).

The celebrity chef told The Publican​: "Having backed Proud of Pubs, I thought I'd better get back into the pub business."

He pledged to offer a varied pub food menu at the Greyhound, as well as to spend more time cooking at the pub himself.

The Greyhound, close to Henley-on-Thames, was one of four businesses closed by Worrall Thompson at the start of this year as the credit crunch hit trade.

Having bought the pub back, Worrall Thompson said he aimed to attract back former customers as well as to widen the pub's appeal.

"It will be a more flexible menu," he said. "If people want a steak for 20 quid, great, but if they want spag bol for £5.99 we'll do that as well.

"We live nearby and the plan is to run it as our local, as a proper pub through the day, with more of a restaurant feel in the evenings.

"I'll be spending more time in the kitchen cooking."

The pub will also offer a wider range of wines, and more real ales, he added.

• Worrall Thompson is patron of pro-smoking lobby group Forest and is fronting its campaign to allow separate smoking rooms in pubs and clubs.