Nestled close to the heart of Sandringham and a short distance away from Snettisham beach, it is easy to see why The Queen Victoria might be a popular choice for pub-goers.

Eastern Daily Press: Pub of the Week - The Queen Victoria in Snettisham. Picture: Matthew Usher.Pub of the Week - The Queen Victoria in Snettisham. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: © ARCHANT NORFOLK 2016)

And now, with the appointment of a new head chef, its staff are setting their sights on the haunt being a favourite with food-lovers who want traditional, local dishes.

Michael Prince, who has been in the role of head chef for a month, has launched a new menu which he hopes to ignite visitors' taste buds and prioritise seasonal produce.

'The thing at the top of my list above anything else is homemade. I frown upon bringing stock in.

'We have wonderful produce here in Norfolk. It's got a massive coastline and our butcher has his own abattoir,' said the 31-year-old of Heacham.

Eastern Daily Press: Pub of the Week - The Queen Victoria in Snettisham. Picture: Matthew Usher.Pub of the Week - The Queen Victoria in Snettisham. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: © ARCHANT NORFOLK 2016)

Mr Prince has a passion for desserts and crafted his new menu starting with the sweets.

'Dessert should be really special. It's the last course you eat so it's the thing customers remember the most. More than anything it should be 100pc homemade.'

Alan Knott, who has been landlord at the pub for four years, said fresh ingredients and local produce have always been important to him and he was very happy with the new menus. The pub, which has eight members of staff, boasts an outdoor area and playground with a magical tree and pirate ship for small visitors.

Guests can enjoy a holiday by the coast in their motel-style accommodation or their caravan site with five pitches. The Queen Victoria, on Lynn Road, offers a range of wine choices, cask ales and draught beers, with the aim of delivering a perfect pint every time.

Mr Prince, who has previously worked in Docking and grew up in Torquay, said: 'This is more of a traditional Norfolk pub which is lost a bit around here. We have some very nice gastropubs but this sort of place doesn't really exist any more and this style of pub needs to get back up to where it once was. Ten years ago people would say 'lets go for a scampi at the pub' but now people go out more for a special occasion. We have got to make sure we appeal to everyone.'

Not to be kept behind closed kitchen doors, the head chef said it was important to go and speak to customers after the meals to get their feedback on whether the dish was a hit or miss.

And he added the rest of the staff adopted a similar attitude and were on first-name terms with the regulars and cared about how they were.