From pub grub to gastro pub, the Silver Cup in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, has undergone a rapid transformation in the last year. EWAN TURNEY reports on how the best part of £450,000 helped treble takings
The lessees
Mike, Liz and son Charles Gaire took over the uniquely-named Silver Cup pub in 2001. The concept was to take the rundown and tired pub serving up good pub grub towards a gastro concept with 'exceptional cuisine'. However, Mike believed it was vital to keep a good bar space for drinkers.
'We wanted a bar where people could come and drink as well and that is probably one of the hardest things to achieve,' he says. 'But we have done it. People feel comfortable coming in after work for a few jars.'
In total, the refurbishment took 18 months from the initial chats with owners Charles Wells to completion. The pub was closed for three months between September and November 2004. 'Everything is new,' says Liz, 'I think that all we have left of the original pub is the bar top and one glass washer and a bottle fridge.' Charles Wells made a massive investment of £310,000 in the property - the average spend for its 78 property improvement projects last year was £64,000 per pub. The Gaires invested £137,707 of their own money. At the same time the annual rent increased from £27,000 to £43,000.
In addition to a new restaurant area with 45 covers, an upstairs function room was converted into four en-suite letting rooms, new toilets were added, as well as new furniture, new signage, TVs and sound systems.
Attention to detail was the name of the game for the Gaires. 'We had a huge input on the design and in fact the architect was not very happy with what we were doing,' says Mike. 'He actually commented during a site visit that he wouldn't be held responsible for the way the pub looked. But there was no compromise on the way we wanted it.'
However, all turned out well and the architect recently made a return visit to show off the pub to future clients. Here is what they did and how.
Cost: total for building and structural charges - £167,000
Accommodation
A function room above the pub, previously only accessible from the outside has been converted into four en-suite bed and breakfast rooms. 'The function room was a nightmare to service,' says Mike.
The rooms come complete with double bed, television and internet access. 'They are smallish rooms but people do not come here for a holiday. When you walk in to a pub, at least there is an atmosphere, unlike a Travel Inn. If I could treble the amount of rooms I had, I would. They are pretty much booked all year round.'
The rooms are now AA 4-diamond rated. In addition, an office and laundry is situated above the pub.
Cost: bedroom furniture - £7,285
bedding - £950
Restaurant
There is now a 36-cover restaurant, extendable to 45 during busy times of the year. It was vital to Mike to move the pub towards a better food offering.
'I can't see that the ordinary old style of pub of this type has a future,' he says. 'You need to do something extra with your pub if you are going to generate a good income.'
The pub is split in to two areas - the bar, where smoking is permitted, and the lounge and restaurant area, where it is not. 'Going no smoking in part of the pub caused a lot of problems with some regulars - there is always a downside whatever you do. What you can't do is run your pub around a small group of people. It is for the whole community.'
All furniture was bought new and has the same theme running throughout the pub, from the bar stools to the bucket seats to the dining chairs in the restaurant.
Cost: furniture - £15,528
Kitchen
The kitchen was obviously a major part of the Silver Cup redevelopment. 'We took special interest in its design and our own suppliers were used in the design and fitting of equipment,' says Mike.
A new walk-in chiller has been added, along with a large preparation area, waiting station, washing up area and adequate storage.
The food is all freshly prepared and cooked on the premises by head chef Jon Harding, who specialises in fish dishes.
One other development is the use of a pager system to alert waiting staff when meals are ready. 'We do that to stop congestion in the kitchen and cut down waiting time,' he says.
Cost: walk in chiller - £2,812
kitchen and restaurant equipment - £30,185
pager system - £871
TV plasma screens
'This is a sports bar as well as a restaurant so it was important to give customers what they wanted,' explains Mike. 'We sponsor Harpenden Rugby Club and a lot of the members come in to watch the games.'
The bar area has been fitted with two plasma screens to allow separate sports events to be viewed at the same time. 'Sky costs us about £500 a month, but is worth it, especially if other licensees continue to get rid of it. It will be more beneficial for the few that have it.'
The pub also has wireless broadband access throughout and a new four-channel sound system. The system allows two different types of music to be played at either end of the bar as well as different music in the restaurant and the toilets.
Cost: sound and television system - £7,398
broadband system - £5,580
Glasses
Specific attention was paid to the table centres in the form of thin glass vases and also to the drinking glasses. 'We got rid of all the branded glasses,' says Mike. 'The only one we have is for Guinness. There is nothing special about our beer glasses but they are just nice. Any branded glasses we get, we just give away. I think the wine and water glasses are also beautiful.'
Mike believes that if you are going to spend £30 a head on food, then everything should be exactly right. 'Another nice touch is when a customer orders whisky, they are given a fresh jug of water to accompany the drink.'
Cost: £907
Fittings
The finer details are everything to the Gaires. They spent hours sourcing the correct picture frames and have used the same frames on all pictures and mirrors in the pub. They spent more than £3,000 on framing alone.
'That is a huge amount of money, but when you walk through the place you have that element of quality and luxury,' he says. 'That is what we wanted to achieve.'
All the pictures are originals from the pub and show the local area. A mirror in the restaurant area was handed down to Mike from his grandmother via his mother. There is also an old clock that chimes on the hour.
Cost: clock - £900
picture framing - £3,150
Results
When the Gaires took on the lease, weekly turnover stood at around £3,500. Before the refurbishment they had managed to grow that to £7,500. Since the refurbishment they now average almost £12,000. The week before Christmas the pub took a record £18,000.
The predicted turnover for the 12 months to 31 December is £600,000 with a 63% gross profit margin.
The pub now works on a 10% accommodation, 50% drink and 40% food split, with food sales expected to grow rapidly over the next year.
The accommodation rooms are Mike's favourite part of the pub, but it is clear he is very satisfied with the overall look and feel of the pub now. Food margins are up to 70% profit and one regular in the pub boasts the burgers are the best he has ever tasted.
Yet challenges still lie ahead. High profile French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli has taken on the White Horse in Harpenden and is set to reopen in January, but the Gaires' determination and attention to detail will stand them in good stead.