New name and look for former Waipu Hotel - now officially The Rose & Thistle Inn

Lorraine Bradley and Richard Mahoney, publicans at the Rose & Thistle Inn, Waipu.

It's no longer the pub with no name — the boozer formerly known as the Waipu Hotel is now officially The Rose & Thistle Inn.

After several weeks of being closed for refurbishment, the pub reopened last Wednesday to what new owners and first-time publicans Richard Mahoney and Lorraine Bradley say has been an overwhelming response.

The renovation has included a new central bar being put in and zones created either side of it - lounge and dining seating on one and a pool table, leaners and games room still on the other.

''We've been inundated with customers, from long-time locals coming in for a quick drink and just to say hello and welcome us, to parties of up to 25,'' Mahoney said.

''We can't believe it. People just stop in after driving past and seeing it all lit up and busy, people who live miles away come for dinner.

''Everyone loves the menu, they like the feel of the place. We've even had people come up to us and say, 'thank you so much, we've wanted something like this to happen for years'.''

Two new chefs have been hired and a menu developed which includes allergy-free options. As well as dining, the kitchen offers bar snacks.

On the to-do list is a redesigned garden bar with an outdoor stage at one end and a playground area, Bradley said. She is turning an unused room adjoining the main lounge/dining bar into a chill-out space for young teens or others who accompany their parents to the pub.

Mahoney and Bradley decided to include a competition for a new name as part of their make-over.

It proved a talking point and a way to introduce themselves to Waipu, they said. Some entries were quite sharp but not "Waipu enough'' and some were a little on the nose, but on the whole the couple had a tough task choosing from more than 600 entries.

An Englishman, Mahoney wanted a name to reflect Waipu's character and Scottish heritage, but was also a nod to his and Lorraine's, and New Zealand's, British background.

Most entries came from local people, several from elsewhere in New Zealand and even a few from overseas, among them some including explanations of why the suggested name was appropriate.

''It was all great fun, and we were amazed at the level of response,'' Mahoney said.

Two separate entries actually suggested The Rose & Thistle, which won in the end for its obvious English rose and Scottish thistle reference, but also because the ampersand character in the middle, the "&" can be stylised to a Māori manaia symbol.

The winners were Glenys Lyon and Aaron Finlayson, the latter a former Waipu fellow now living in Australia.

Meanwhile, Mahoney said he and Bradley feel confident about the future of Waipu's new old watering hole and are raising their glasses to a good summer season.