MALVERN'S newest restaurant and bar Priors Croft briefly opened its doors last weekend to give the public a sneak peek behind the scenes.

Hundreds of people took the opportunity to explore the restaurant and bar areas, as well as the cellar and kitchen.

A first glimpse inside the refurbished building was met with widespread approval. Most visitors believed the development would be a positive and exciting move for the town centre.

Developer Jonathan Roe, who was on hand to answer the public's questions, said he was overwhelmed by the response.

"It was a pleasure to show people the parts of the building that they wouldn't ordinarily see," he said. "It was also a fantastic start to our ongoing recruitment drive.

"We had 2,000 visitors on Sunday alone and I'm told we were busier than some of the shops on Church Street."

Mr Roe is hoping the business will be open before Christmas.