Treasure trove
Ewan Turney discovers how a £1.1m investment transformed the Hand & Spear in Weybridge, Surrey from a
rock-music pub to an eye-catching
venue befitting its colourful history
Kitchen
The kitchen has an open viewing window and a table opposite to enable customers to see the chefs in action. "They have to be on their best behaviour - certainly no swearing," jokes Cockram.
A new menu has been designed, including rib-eye steak and grilled blackened salmon with chilli noodles. Another highlight is the deli-board, which allows customers to put together their own sharing selection.
Sunday lunchtime is targeted as a good revenue source for the pub: customers can choose their own roast platter from the kitchen or opt for a herb-crusted rack of Wiltshire lamb or roast rib of Aberdeen Angus beef, which they can carve themselves at the table.
Kitchen and BBQ: £115,000
Background
History: The Hand & Spear was originally built by Lord Locke-King, Baron of Ockham, as a summer house for his family in 1833 and was turned into a hotel by his son when the railway was built. It was named the Hand & Spear after the design of the family crest. Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson stayed at the hotel while correcting proofs of his classic 19th-century novel, Treasure Island.
Hand & Spear: Young's bought the pub from Mitchells & Butlers in July 2006. "We had wanted the pub for ages," says area manager Nigel Holliday. "It was in a state. It had become a rock pub with live music. All the windows were boarded up with black felt to muffle noise and it had a history of problems with the neighbours. It was turning over just £5,000 a week."
Andy Cockram: The manager of the refurbished pub was recruited from a Chef & Brewer outlet in Chiswick. "I joined at the beginning - and to see it grow from just a shell has been quite amazing," he says.
Holliday adds: "It took us six months to find the right person to manage the pub. Andy was perfect for the role - he's a natural."
Refurbishment: The pub closed from July 2006 to 31 January this year. A spend of £1.12m saw the pub completely gutted and transformed with new toilets, function room, dining room, lounge area and bar, plus a large covered and heated outside area. It reopened as a no-smoking venue and has a strict over-21 policy.
Main building works: £664,000
Project manager: Ed Hazard (Young's)
Wine cellar
Opposite the main entrance is an open wine cellar. "We didn't have enough cellar space, so we decided to create this storage area and make it into a real feature," says Holliday.
There are display chiller units for white wine and glass boxes for red.
"It's a great attraction - customers can browse the wine in their own time, rather than having to make a two-second decision at the bar," he says.
Outside
The Hand & Spear has four distinct outside areas. Clearly, a lot of thinking has been devoted to coping with the smoking ban. Two awnings with retractable sides and heaters provide an "inside-outside" space for diners.
An outside hut has a self-contained bar and BBQ, with the surrounding decked area providing more than 100 covers. "The whole area will become an outside dining room in summer," says Holliday. The trees are lit with blue lights; electric heaters and two jumbrellas can be moved to various positions outside.
At the side of the pub, a row of dual-purpose Morrocan-style market huts has been set up.
"In summer, people can use them as booths, and the huts enable us to hold antique and local trade fairs here," he says. There is also space at the front of the pub.
Landscaping: £16,000; Garden Bar: £32,000; External furniture: £52,000; Awnings & Jumbrellas: £20,000
Dining Room
The dining room is known as the Brooklands Room, after the nearby motor-racing track. Constructed by Lord Locke-King, it was the world's first purpose-built track. There is now a museum at the circuit and the link to the local area is important for the pub. Photos and paintings of Brooklands, including a huge specially-commissioned canvas painting, add to the atmosphere. The main canvas painting also features aircraft built by former manufacturers Vickers at Brooklands during both World Wars.
Tables in the dining room can be reserved. "We take bookings, but only for one sitting," says Holliday. "It's important that we don't rush people, as we want them to have a relaxing time.
"We always planned to have a bar, lounge area and dining room, because then we can do anything we want."
Bric-a-brac: £13,000
Bar area
The original long bar has been polished and restored to its former glory, and historical information about the family members who built the pub adorns the walls. There is a wide range of beers including Young's, Charles Wells Bombardier and speciality lagers Peroni and Leffe. "With the link-up with Young's and Charles Wells, we can really offer a wide range of drinks," says Holliday.
EPoS, phones and WIFI: £35,000
Function Room
The old toilet block has been converted into a grand Treasure Island-inspired function room. An original fireplace was discovered behind an old wall, and the toilets have been moved to an old stable block.
"Moving the toilets is the most expensive thing you can do, but it has given us a great extra space," says Holliday.
"The room is set up to hold meetings with LCD screens, private dining or for small parties," he says. "And customers are welcome to book Champagne breakfasts for the Cricket World Cup."
The Treasure Island theme is picked up on the walls of the room with illustrations and quotes from Stevenson's famous adventure novel about buccaneers and buried gold.
Grand mirrors were purchased through auctions.
Fireplaces: £12,000
Results
The pub has been open for a month - and so far, so good. Trade is split 70% wet and 30% food sales. "Our target is currently £22,600 net per week. We have traded at this level on average for the last three weeks and are improving weekly," says Holliday. "I am looking to achieve more than £30,000 per week in the summer."
Residents and local businesses were invited to sample the pub as part of its soft launch campaign, which included a mail-out. A programme of events, including Valentine's Day and a jazz night, featured in the plan to ensure that standards were reaching the required level. "There is no good shouting about how good you are until you have proved it," says Holliday.
The no-smoking policy has also been a success. "It is so nice to work here now," says Cockram. "The occasional person
lights up in the bar but when they are told about our policy, they are happy to go outside."
He is eagerly anticipating the summer, when the full potential of the pub's outside space can be realised. "I have been involved in projects at Beefeaters, American diners and other restaurants, but this is definitely the most exciting and rewarding development I have ever been involved with," says Holliday.
Lounge
The lounge, now full of comfy sofas, used to have a raised stage area and PA system for the live music bands. "They had to have sound monitoring equipment as well, because of the complaints from neighbours," says Cockram.
Peace has been restored: the area is now used for "chilling out" and casual dining, and the whole pub has wi-fi access. The furnishings are a mixture of older pieces and newer ones made from reclaimed wood. On the wall hangs a history of the novel Treasure Island.
Bar furniture: £45,000
Balance Sheet
Main building works: £? 664,000
Fees: £? 35,000
Kitchen and BBQ: £? 115,000
EPOS, phones and WIFI: £? 35,000
Garden bar: £? 32,000
Carpets and curtains: £? 16,000
Bar furniture: £? 45,000
External furniture: £? 52,000
Fireplaces
