Hospitality giant launches Cookhouse and Pub trial

The behemoth behind Premier Inn hotels, Costa Coffee, as well as restaurant brands Beefeater, Brewer’s Fayre, Table Table, and Bar + Block, announced the new 4,519 square foot, 237-cover site in Oldbury, West Midlands.

The concept has been launched as a trial by Whitbread and is specifically designed to cater for Premier Inn and local guests. Alongside news of the Oldbury launch, three further openings – in Holystone in Tyneside, Ripley in Derbyshire and Kilmarnock – have been announced and are expected to open within the next few months.

All four will attempt to combine the relaxed atmosphere and affordability of the UK’s pubs with the quality food and service of an informal, all-day casual restaurant, under the Cookhouse and Pub banner – a new venture to operate independently of existing brands such as Beefeater and Brewers Fayre.

Craft beers, cask ales and ciders

The Oldbury site has been developed by Yorkshire-based designers JMDA and includes a 41-cover bar and open plan kitchen.

Cookhouse and Pub will offer a range of craft beers, cask ales and ciders, as well as draught wines and cocktails. Styled as a contemporary restaurant and pub, featuring solo booths and group dining areas, the menu will comprise a combination of pub classics, rotating specials, and lighter options.

Sarah Tinsley, Head of Strategy and Innovation Whitbread Restaurants commented: “We’re hugely excited to have launched the first Cookhouse and Pub in the Midlands and we’re on course to open three more over the coming months.

“We feel this is a new, bold and revolutionary concept in the pub restaurant market, which we hope will be welcomed with open arms. It’s a fantastic opportunity for guests to eat out for less and experience the quality of our food in a relaxed, friendly and welcoming environment.”