THE latest addition to one of the country’s most renowned restaurant-chains has been celebrated by its TV chef owner.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and his team from River Cottage, joyfully accepted the keys to Abbey Mill from the Mayor of Winchester, Councillor Eileen Berry, at a small ceremony toasting Winchester City Council’s hard work.

The chef’s plans to open a restaurant in the city were first whispered in October 2012 and, despite residents’ objections and numerous planning issues, a raised glass of elderflower sparkling wine marked the official handover from the council following months of renovation works.

Since works began some months ago Winchester City Council has spent £1m to bring the building up to scratch, taking it from its former shell to a functional unit. River Cottage has said a further £750,000 will be spent for the amenities and decoration to create its fourth canteen.

Cllr Berry said: “We welcome you wholeheartedly to our city because lots of us have followed you through your career and we like your early dedication and you haven’t lost your vision. It’s a vision we want to stay here. Welcome and we wish you well.”

Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall, who is regarded for his commitment to locally-sourced produce, said: “The council has risen to the challenge at every turn. It’s a great moment to turn this into a place for celebration of food at the heart of this community.

“We will do this to the very best of our abilities. You have challenged us to be here for a long time and we absolutely will try to do that. It feels like today we have arrived.”

Cllr Steve Miller gave a special thanks for the hard work of the builders, architects and planning officers.

The partly open-plan former mill will have an open kitchen, a separate bar, a private dining area and staff area as well as the main seating room. It will also have an outdoor space facing the park near the sluice which has now been turned into a bridge.

But the works have not been without their problems. As a result of the floods in February the river, which runs directly under the lower seating area, rose dramatically bringing in gallons of water.

Kevin Warren, head of estates at Winchester City Council, said: “We had a really difficult time when we were doing the works. Water was pouring through the wall and we were having to pump it out every 20 seconds.”

Despite initial objections from residents, River Cottage’s managing director Rob Love, said the team had worked hard to ensure concerns had been addressed.

“We’ve worked closely with the residents and they’ve been really friendly towards us,” he said. “Like a lot of people in Winchester they’re worried about car-parking and traffic. We have to work hard to make sure any concerns they have will be addressed.”