THE Old Chemist - one of Abingdon’s newest pubs - has reopened after closing suddenly over the summer when two managers walked out.

The gin bar and smokehouse opened at Easter in High Street on the site of the former Smith’s chemists.

But the first few months were not trouble-free for the owners and in July they let their customers know on Facebook that they would be closed for the foreseeable future.

READ AGAIN: Old Chemist gin bar in Abingdon shuts after manager walks out

Now a new manager has been appointed and the bar is back open - starting with four days a week only.

Oxford Mail:

Co-owner Terry Milne said: “We are starting by opening for four days a week just for the moment and then in a few weeks’ time we will start serving food.

READ AGAIN: Frankie & Benny's restaurants could close

“We had terrible trouble with pigeons in our back yard and we have spent about £30,000 tackling the vermin by putting up netting to keep them out.

"I think Abingdon and Wantage both have a problem with pigeons and not enough is being done to sort it out.”

The owners have also been working on the finishing touches to the interior of the restaurant while it has been closed.

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Mr Milne said the bar reopened about a week ago.

He added: “We are pleased to be open again with a new manager and everything is going well.”

Oxford Mail:

Customer Emma Irwin said on the bar’s Facebook page: “First night reopening, friendly staff. We asked for a drink the bar staff had never made so they looked up how to make it and did it for us.

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“Great music. We’ll be back to try the food when the kitchen reopens.”

The Tipsy Mercer, opposite The Old Chemist, won positive reviews when it opened in March about the same time as The Old Chemist.

Drinkers in Abingdon also have the option of buying their gin online.

Ben Blackledge, a former airline pilot, has co-founded Abingdon Gin, the town’s first distillery of its kind.

READ MORE: Couple create tasty gins at Abingdon distillery

The distillery is selling a London dry, making use of local ingredients.

Oxford Mail:

The company, which sells online, says its production process uses inventive techniques to extract the most flavour from the botanicals possible and distillation is carried out in small batches at drip-speed to ensure the ‘highest quality cuts and a polished final product’.