Pictures
Pub openings - June 2016
Daniel Thwaites and Inglenook Inns & Taverns
The George, Torrisholme, Lancashire
Pub companies Daniel Thwaites and Inglenook Inns & Taverns joined forces with the management team of the George in Torrisholme, brothers Matt and Karl Dobson to reopen the pub.
Following a £320,000 investment, the Lancaster Road pub was closed for seven weeks whilst the work was carried out including a new bar and menu and additional sports elements.
Managing director of Inglenook Inns & Taverns James Waddington said: “We always endeavour to make our pubs the pivotal part of the community and I think we have really succeeded here.”
Director of pub operations at Daniel Thwaites Andrew Buchanan said: “The George is an excellent, contemporary local pub and it’s looking great follow this investment, which is one of the biggest refurbishments of a pub we have completed in the last year.”
Robinsons Brewery
George and Dragon, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire
This historic pub has reopened after a three week facelift following a joint investment from pub company Robinsons Brewery and licensee Martin Barnes.
Affectionately nicknamed the George by locals, the pub thrived for centuries prior to 1970 when the new George and Dragon reopened on Sadlers Close after the original was demolished as part of the Middlewich and Knutsford Road improvements.
Martin Barnes said: “We didn’t want a refurbishment that took character from the pub. We wanted to make sure that the changes embraced our past whilst looking towards the future.”
The White Swan, Great Sutton, Cheshire
Recent renovations at the White Swan have gone down a storm with locals and sales have rocketed since.
With the pub being originally built in 1850, the makeover was designed to keep the traditional features at heart but to create somewhere accessible as well as being female and family friendly.
Licensee David Morris said: “The reaction from our customers has been fantastic. Whilst the pub now has a contemporary feel, in some ways it’s still very much a traditional pub.”
Enterprise Inns
The Black Lion Hotel, Salford, Manchester
Multisite operator Anthony Sheridan joined forces with Enterprise Inns for a £280,000 refurbishment on Salford’s the Black Lion Hotel and was attended by local MP Rebecca Long-Bailey.
The Chapel Street venue has been redecorated inside and out along with 12 televisions installed and a new pool table for customers to make full use of particularly over this year’s summer of sport to show sports from across the board.
Licensee Anthony Sheridan said: “We want the Black Lion to be somewhere people come to regularly for a jolly, entertaining night out – they treat it as their local but it is in the city centre.”
The Sir Robert Peel, Bloxwich, Walsall, West Midlands
West Midlands brewer Davenports has invested into the refurbishment of the Sir Robert Peel with pubco Enterprise to the tune of £260,000.
The facelift included making three existing internal rooms into one with eight television screens.
The brewery also runs Enterprise’s Old Cross in Oldbury and marketing director of Davenports Simon Key said: “Our vision was to create a pub that champions quality beer and provides a place where locals can come and enjoy a pint and some no-nonsense food in a relaxed environment.”
The Stubbing Wharf and Shoulder of Mutton, Hebden Bridge and the Shoulder of Mutton, Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire
Enterprise invested £500,000 into the Yorkshire pubs following flood damage.
The food operation at the Stubbing Wharf, with people ordering at the bar has been upgraded to a country dining theme and table service has been introduced.
At the Shoulder of Mutton in Mytholmroyd the bar has been made smaller and the kitchen bigger.
The other Should of Mutton in Hebden Bridge has changes made to the bar, real fires introduced and floors have been tiled.
Brakspear
The pub brewer and operator bought the Grapevine pub in January this year and have refurbished and renamed it as the Sheep on Sheep Street, due to reopen on 1 July.
The 17th century venue has been renovated to include a full length bar that transforms into a counter dining area in front of the open kitchen with a wood-fired oven as well as 22 bedrooms
The pub now offers 100 covers and has added a speciality gin offer, 10 craft beers along with cocktails.
Shepherd Neame
Following a two month refurbishment costing £240,000, the White Horse in Maldon, Essex reopened this month.
The facelift included repainting throughout the pub, changing the shape of the bar, varnishing the original wooden floor, replacing furniture and new décor and lighting along with the five bedrooms being renovated.
Jayne Kocinoga took on the pub at the end of April and worked with Shepherd Neame to make the pub over.
She said: “I’m really pleased with the inn’s new look and have already received great feedback from customers.”
Tavistock Hospitality Ltd
The leisure firm bought the Plough in Mountsett, Newcastle upon Tyne in 2010 and have recently spent £700,000 to transform the site into a brewery tap for its Sonnet 43 Brew House based in Coxhoe, County Durham.
Over the two month refurbishment, they undertook an overhaul of the interior and added tipi huts to hold outdoor events in along with a separate dining area upstairs to host private functions for up to 30 people.
Operations director of Tavistock Hospitality Ltd Jonathan Graham said: “Not only will our £700,000 investment enhance what is already available, with a new look and improved restaurant menu, but the addition of tipis and a private dining area will also make it a more versatile venue for a wide range of private events.”
All Our Bars
The Three Tuns in Reading has reopened after a £300,000 renovation which included an improved beer garden, new carpets, toilets, flooring and furniture, new exterior, resurfaced car park and additional booths fitted inside.
CEO of All Our Bars Paul Wigham said: “It’s great to see this beautiful building fully restored, the designers have really done it justice.”
Pub manager Sam Merchant said: “We are so pleased with how everything has worked out, the support we have received from customers has been brilliant.”
