Licensee hops on gravy train

The licensee of Punch's Fenwick Arms, featured on reality TV programme Ram-say's Kitchen Nightmares, is to launch a range of home-made style gravy products.

Brian Rey, who runs the pub in Claughton, near Lancaster, with the help of his wife, Elaine, is currently in negotiations with a major food company and hopes to get his range of products on the shelves early next year.

During the programme, which was first broadcast in November 2006, Brian launched a campaign for home-made gravy with the help of Gordon Ramsay and he plans to use the branding on the new products.

The Fenwick Arm's website has had over 10 million hits and contains links to sites selling real gravy merchandise. A follow-up to the show was broadcast on Channel 4 earlier this week.

Brian said: "Gordon came back and things were very bad; we'd let the business slip to an all-time low due to our personal circumstances at the time." But with the help of the celebrity chef, Brian managed to get the business back on track and he and his staff are braced for a record week after the show airs.

Brian said: "Gordon Ramsay is fantastic. Always look at him as two Gordons, the one you see on TV that gives people a hard time and the real chap.

"Off camera he's great - his passion and dedication to the industry are always there. He also puts in an incredible amount of hours - he never stops."