TCG to re-open nine pubs after revamp

Managed pub company Tattershall Castle Group (TCG) is re-opening nine sites in as many weeks after spending between £20,000 and £400,000 per venue on revamps.

The Royal Victoria & Bull Hotel in Dartford, Kent, is the latest to re-open in a £400,000 spend, which includes a £70,000 National Lottery grant to restore the grade II*-listed site.

Original features such as the windows and fireplace have been restored, while the inside has been refurbished to give a more contemporary and open feel.

The focus is on expanding trading day-time trade and attracting new customers, for example, by adding furniture to the dance floor area in day-time and opening a new cafe bar selling coffee in an under-used room.

Other revamped sites include the flagship Henry's in London's Piccadilly, where the menu has been changed and other elements such as uniforms and point-of-sale updated.

Its pub on the River Thames, the Tattershall Castle, has also been refurbished, which has included revamps of the lower decks and nightclub.

Explaining the timing of the investment, TCG chief operating officer Nigel Wright said: "We think in the current climate we've got to add some value to our customers when more people are staying at home than before.

"There's no doubt been a change in the market where the early week period is quieter. We've got to provide better quality surroundings and better range of value food products as well."

An average of 10 full and part-time jobs have been created per site after the revamps, Wright said.

On the current state of trading, he said London and the south-east is ahead of the rest of the country. "We are definitely seeing suburban and more community local businesses holding up better than big high-street sites."

He predicted November would be "very tough" but Christmas would be "positive", with advance booking "very strong in food-orientated branded sites".