Head of Steam nets iconic Central Hotel

North East multiple operator Head of Steam has acquired the Central Hotel — one of the most iconic buildings in Gateshead.

The Central Hotel is famous for its strange shape and is affectionately known as "the coffin" locally. It is Head of Steam's ninth site.

Boss Tony Brookes forked out around £300,000 for the leasehold and will spend a further £800,000 on a refurbishment project, due for completion by spring of 2010. The project will be partly funded by the Heritage Lotter fund and Gateshead Council.

The new venue will feature a roof-top garden terrace, two bars and host live music in its function room.

Work is due to start next week. "In the meantime, the pub has been closed for changes to the bars and

products sold, after which it will re-open (in about a month) and trade the best it can, whilst refurbishment works go on around it," said Brookes.

"It goes without saying that the pub will eventually offer a stunning array of real ales and ciders and world beers.

"I can't start to tell you how delighted we are to be able to create a truly world-class business in the Central Hotel. We intend to produce a pub and venue, which the people of Gateshead can be really proud of."

He added: "In most circumstances, and at a time when even brand new pubs and bars are closing their doors and going out of business forever, it was perhaps not the easiest of tasks to be pursuaded into buying a pub in this state of repair and with so few modern facilities. 

"This was to be an enormous task even for the brave hearted, or at best a high risk investment for even the

most business savvy."