Change is firmly on the menu at the Cherry Tree pub in Rochford – along with plenty of old-fashioned favourites and hearty comfort food to satisfy even the fussiest palate.

If you want flamboyant fine dining with meagre portions and inflated prices, this is not the place for you.

Owners Charlie and Jo Ball took over the pub, which is also a small bed and breakfast, in July and have invested £30,000 in classy decor changes, as well as overhauling the menu.

Charlie, 61, who was previously the landlord of the Ship Inn in Burnham-on- Crouch for five years, explained: “We are trying to hammer home the message that the pub is under new management. We have brought in a number of improvements and most of all we intend to be known for our good, wholesome pub grub.

“You could even say it’s a bit retro because we’ve brought back a lot of pub favourites – everything from steak and ale pie and liver and bacon to sticky toffee pudding and trifle.

“We believe this is what diners want now. We’ve had the trend for gastro and fine dining but people just want to be able to go out for a tasty meal without breaking the bank.”

Charlie says he loved running the Ship, especially as being a keen sailor he could indulge his passion on the water on the odd day off. But when the brewery put the pub up for sale, the couple were forced to look elsewhere.

The Cherry Tree in Stambridge Road, with its picture-perfect country settings, rustic decor and 18th-century roots, seemed a perfect choice.

For Charlie and his family the Cherry Tree has always been a special place where wonderful memories have been made.

He explained: “I’m from Rochford originally, I was born at Rochford hospital and I grew up with this as my local pub. I’ve been coming here as a customer since I was allowed to drink so I knew it well.

“Over the years we’ve had many celebrations and good times here – 30th birthdays, 70th and 80th birthday parties you name it – tome, I suppose it’s like coming home but now I’m on the other side of the bar.

“Because it means so much to me personally we’ve invested a lot into the place since we’ve taken over – not just financially but emotionally too.”

So let’s talk food. What’s on the newCherry Tree menu? Well, the selection of starters includes everything from soup of the day to rustic bread with olives and balsamic vinegar, oak-smoked salmon with brioche and capers and blue cheese-topped flat mushroom with dressed salad.

For mains, some of the many options that can be enjoyed by the pub’s roaring open fires this Autumn include pub stalwarts such as sausage and mash, beer-battered cod, chips and peas, chargrilled 10oz rib eye steak with chips, mushrooms and salad, and liver and bacon.

What’s proved to be the most popular dish so far?

“Definitely Hunter’s Chicken,”

said Charlie. “It just flies off the menu.”

Charlie and Jo want to make the pub a place where customers don’t just pop in onceamonth but twice a week or more and that’s reflected in their prices, which include a three-course meal for two plus a bottle of wine for £45 and a two-course weekday lunch for £10.

“It’s great value,” said Charlie, “A lot of people are having to tighten their belts so for a couple to go out for a night and enjoy three courses plus a bottle of wine for under 50 quid a couple, we think is pretty good.”

It’s not just Charlie and Jo who have made the journey from Burnham to the Cherry Tree. The couple’s talented chef from the Ship, Craig Blandford, has followed them.

Craig, 44, said: “I worked with Charlie and Jo for five years at the Ship and I really enjoyed working with them so when they said they were coming here, I didn’t hesitate to join them too.”

Craig, who is originally from Portsmouth, has experience working in and heading up a number of venues, including Michelin star pubs and as senior sous chef for an airport hotel. He has even worked as the head chef for Essex Fire and Rescue Service.

So what did he served up for burly firefighters on a daily basis?: “They’d bring in the ingredients and tell youwhat they wanted you to cook,” he laughed. “As you can imagine it was a lot of carbs, a lot of meat and potatoes.”

When it comes to preparing his creations at the Cherry Tree, Craig likes to keep it real.

“Everything is homemade and we use locally-sourced veg, meat and fish from businesses nearby.

It’s important to me that food tastes like it should – not drowning in heavy sauces.”

Puddings are a speciality of Craig’s. His desserts, at just £5 each, include house crumble, bread and butter pudding, trifle, lemon meringue pie and, of course, the British classic, spotted dick – all served with ice cream, creme Chantilly, pouring cream or custard.

“They are traditional British favourites, especially the puddings like spotted dick – we couldn’t haveamenuwithout them,” said Craig. “I even do a trifle with fruit cocktail, because that’s way it used to be made.”

The pub is also hosting live music and open mic nights and also operates as a bed and breakfast with four modern rooms.

ý thecherrytree stambridge.co.uk