Multiple operator takes third site with Star, Strike bowling alley with craft beer launches

Multiple operator takes on third Star site

Hertfordshire-based brewer and multiple pub operator Farr Brew ​has taken on a lease for the Eight Bells in Old Hatfield and is undertaking a joint £230,000 refurbishment with Star Pubs & Bars.

The Eight Bells is the company’s third Star Pubs & Bars lease, with another pub on a temporary management agreement. Farr Brew also has a further leased pub, two freeholds and a brewery bar.

The grade II-listed pub, built in 1226, was frequented both by highwayman Dick Turpin and by Charles Dickens, who gave it the fictional name the One Tun Pub in Oliver Twist.

Farr Brew co-founder and director Nick Farr said: “My partner Matt Elvidge and I could immediately see the potential of The Eight Bells. Its historic background, location near Hatfield House and opposite the proposed new development in Old Hatfield, and lack of family-friendly nearby pubs made the pub an appealing proposition. 

“We have expanding rapidly since opening our first pub – opening five pubs in two years.  We are looking now to consolidate our estate and grow it steadily and prudently. Our long-term plan is to take on one pub a year. We’re already in preliminary talks with Star Pubs & Bars about another pub.”

There will be more than 30 wines as well as Farr Brew’s own real ales on tap, and at least 25 gins, including its own Farr Brew London Dry.

Funds are being spent upgrading the garden, creating a new kitchen and reconfiguration will increase covers from 27 to 45.

Strike bowling alley to open at former Young’s brewery

Bowling alley Strike is set to open this month (25 November) in Wandsworth’s Ram Quarter development and will house other entertainment games plus locally brewed craft beer, cocktails and a food menu.

As well as tenpin bowling lanes, the venue will be home to duckpin bowling lanes, smart darts boards and electric shuffleboards.

Housed in a grade II-listed building inside the grounds of the former Young’s brewery, food will feature the Raclette Burger, the Spiced and Candied Bacon Hotdog, and the Cajun Crayfish Mac and Cheese. Tank-fresh lager from London’s Meantime brewery will be on offer alongside beer from Siren, Sambrooks, Signal and more. 

Quirky new menu at Beavertown’s newest pub

Nitro stout-battered fish will be one of the choices available on the new food menu at Beavertown’s newest pub – Corner Pin – located near Tottenham Hotspur FC’s stadium.

The menu includes Nitro Stout IPA-battered fish and chips with mushy peas, curry sauce and tartare sauce; and dry-aged burger with maple-cured bacon, nacho cheese sauce and dill pickle served with skinny fries. There is also a meatless burger with red onion, plum tomato, cos lettuce, vegan cheese and burger sauce served with skinny fries.

Beers available include Neck Oil, Gamma Ray and Bones, as well as limited-edition special beers and brand-new releases. Additionally, there’s a wine list and a mix of house cocktails along with spirits and soft options.  

The pub, which is closed to the public on match day but Spurs fans with a ticket for the game can gain entry, is set over three floors with a beer garden.

Flowerhouse pub puts women first

A new pub called the Flowerhouse will open this month (November) with a mission to support women in the hospitality industry.

The Marylebone site, located on Chiltern Street, next door to Chiltern Firehouse, has been revived by Jo Jackson and the team behind the Light Bar. The Flowerhouse is said to have a fresh and feminine interior after working with female-led building contractors, designers and gardeners

House cocktails include the Flowerhouse Spritz (Absolute Blue, Lillet Blanc, caramelised orange, with a Prosecco top), the Marylebone (Manhattan style – Chivaz Regal, Lillet Rouge, Cherry Herring with citrus twist) and Ki No Bi Tini – an ode to a Martini but slightly sweeter.

The wine list features Tripelpunkt Riesling, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Massale Pinot Noir and Barbaresco Basarin while craft beers include Forest Road and Camden on tap alongside the house ‘Flowerhouse Pale Ale’.

In January 2022, the Flowerhouse will launch an all-day food offering, which is a “flexitarian twist on a classic pub menu”. Further spaces will also be revealed upstairs, including a dining room and two-floor “Insta-apartment”.

Jackson said: “We’re super passionate to revive this classic pub that not only is a space where a woman should feel entirely comfortable having a drink there on their own, but somewhere that can hopefully help make a difference in an industry still predominately run by men. The idea for a female-led team breathing fresh air into old British pubs came from working with amazingly talented women in hospitality and using our privileged location in London to provide a platform to inspire and support others.”

Tavern Propco puts pub on market with guide price of £2m

Pub company Tavern Propco has put its Worcester Park pub – HG Wells – on the market for in excess of £2m.

The leasehold is also available and rental offers can be submitted for a new free-of-tie lease, according to estate agent Savills.

The property is a detached two-storey pub with an open-plan ground floor with central bar and seating for circa 30. There is another trading area to the rear with seating for a further 52 covers. The first floor has six bedrooms, a bathroom with a toilet and large storage room while the basement comprises a cellar and stores.

A beer garden to the rear caters for about 100 people and a patio to the side can host 24 covers while a car park is big enough for circa 22 vehicles.

Stuart Stares, associate director in the licensed leisure team at Savills, said: “We are delighted to bring to market this public house located in an affluent south-west London location. Offers are in invited for the freehold and rental offers are also being considered. It is situated on a substantial plot and offers development potential so we expect this sale to attract interest from a wide variety of investors.”

McMullen unveils Horse & Guardsman pub

Hertfordshire-based brewer and pub operator McMullen has opened its latest site in Whitehall, next to Trafalgar Theatre, London.

The site, which McMullen said was “one of our largest investments and overall projects to date since the Old Bank of England in Fleet Street”, opened earlier this month as the Horse & Guardsman to reflect and honour the Queen’s Guard, which is stationed directly behind the building.

“We have made a significant investment in the Horse & Guardsman to create a superb new London pub with quality finishes and an innovative and individual design. I am extremely proud of our development and design team who worked tirelessly and overcame a lot of property challenges to create a pub that will stand the test of time,” said Jenny Strathern, property director.

The pub is wood-panelled and was previously the premises of bankers Messrs Cocks Biddulph. McMullen said its interior mirrors that of a Victorian build with high ceilings, arched windows and plenty of space.

“We are delighted to see this wonderful London pub reimagined to reflect the significance of its neighbourhood. The Horse & Guardsman will bring the best of London pubs to the area and provide career and learning opportunity for the 55 new recruits to grow and thrive in our ever-growing London pubs estate,” said joint managing director Heydon Mizon.

McMullen said customers can expect a relaxed atmosphere at the pub, which is bursting with character. There are contemporary and traditional cocktails, seasonal dishes and “attentive service”.

Community pub closed for two years is sold

A former pub is the West Yorkshire town of Featherstone has been sold and will become a convenience store.

The Junction, which was a community pub, is located near a near housing development that will provide 450 new homes. It had been closed for two years but was sold by estate agent Christie & Co after an open day generated 13 offers.

Experienced retail operator Kailasapillai Sivathasan of Jay Retail said: “I have now acquired this property and look forward to converting it into a branded convenience store which will serve the local Featherstone community.”

Christie & Co senior retail business agent Manish Jadav added: “The former pub was identified as a great location for a branded convenience store, as the nearest store is currently outside of the village, and the site enjoys high footfall, which is only set to increase once the new blocks of flats under construction close by are completed.

Alex Rex, business agent in Christie & Co’s hospitality team said: “We were instructed to sell the Junction off the back of completing several other sales in the surrounding area, including the Wakey Tavern, and we were inundated with interest.”

• To find out about pubs for sale, lease and tenancy go to our property site​​​​​​​​​​.

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