PROPERTY ROUND-UP

New sites from REKOM, Inception Group and White Brasserie

14-Sep-2022 - Last updated on 14-Sep-2022 at 12:30 GMT

Hospitality first: Pubs prioritised with expensive makeovers as sites open across the country

Huge sums of money have been ploughed into pubs this week, with sites reopening in Nottinghamshire, Norfolk, Durham and Cheshire after makeovers.

Hydes pub revitalised with £150k investment

Hydes Brewery has revitalised the Wheatsheaf in Lymm, Cheshire following an extensive £150,000 investment.

The refurb at the site, which was originally acquired by Hydes in 1906, includes a complete interior revamp, a new bar build, new signage and a revamped exterior beer terrace and seating area.

Sarah Rees, who was appointed as the Wheatsheaf general manager in April said this was an “exciting time” for the pub. She continued: “I’m relishing the opportunity of managing the team and working closely with Hydes extending a warm, inviting country pub welcome to all customers.

“We’re looking forward to trying new things and the feedback we’ve received already from regulars and visitors to the new look and feel of the pub has been overwhelmingly positive.”

As well as a food and drink offering, regular live music is on the cards with live acts booked every Friday and a £50 bar tab draw taking place every Saturday.

Hydes Brewery managing director Adam Mayers added: “With our investment in the Wheatsheaf, we’ve created an appealing and cosy brand-new look and feel, in time for the busy final quarter of the year.

“We’re confident that customers old and new are really going to enjoy what the pub has to offer, inside and out.

“Hydes remains fully committed to all of the pubs across its estate and this latest round of investment is part of an ongoing programme of extensive refurbishments.

“Offering customers a memorable experience is a key focus for us as a business and with high quality, country based destinations such as the Wheatsheaf, we’re confident we’re providing an experience they’ll want to enjoy again and again.”

White Brasserie set to open the Britannia

Pub group the White Brasserie Company will be opening a new venue in Parkstone, Poole this autumn.

The business has taken over the former Maison Sax site and will refurb the Dorset venue as a traditional pub.

The Britannia is set to open on 17 October after an extensive revamp and will bring 55 new jobs to the area.

It will feature a dedicated bar, 150 cover restaurant and a vast 100 cover terrace and garden, complete with an outdoor fireplace and heated covered cabana area for year-round outdoor dining.

Head of Design, Inge Watrobski said: “With our signature take on traditional pub style the interiors will be warm and inviting with British made wool tartans, bespoke deep-buttoned vintage leather banquettes, fabulous wallpapers and our favourite quirky touches.”

On the menu will be traditional pub classics with French influences all cooked fresh using sustainable produce. Meat will be sourced from Royal butcher Aubrey Allen.

Brasserie Bar managing director Richard Ferrier said: “The Britannia represents our third venue in the region. It is a fantastic space, and we hope it will be a popular destination for locals and visitors alike with inviting spaces for food and drink, fun interiors, and cosy snugs as well as a stunning garden.

“We can’t wait to throw the doors open on 17^th October.”

The Ostrich completes £350k transformation

The Ostrich in Castle Acre, Norfolk, has been made over following a £350,000 joint investment from pub owners Greene King Pub Partners and licensees Ant Ciavarella and Aoife Halliday.

The renovated pub features a new function room, six completely overhauled ensuite rooms and a revamped garden complete with a German-style Schwenker Grill for BBQs and garden furniture.

The menu at the Ostrich, which was been a pub for more than 500 years, is overseen by chef James Thacker who has more than 20 years of experience throughout France and the UK.

Ciavarella and Halliday said: “We are delighted to have completed the transformation of the Ostrich. We wanted to get the pub just right and fully aligned with our vision, so it is great to see it come to fruition thanks to the support of Greene King Pub Partners.”

Greene King Pub Partners managing director Wayne Shurvinton said it was “brilliant” to be partnering with the licensees.

“I am really excited by the transformation of the Ostrich and look forward to seeing the business grow following our joint investment,” he added.

Cricket-themed bar launched after £350k investment

A new cricket-themed bar has opened in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire and is named after the county’s sporting legend William Gunn.

Business partners Tom Holodynsky and Owen Roach have invested £350,000 into the site at 19, Radcliffe Road after agreeing a 15-year lease with commercial property and investment company LCP.

The bar’s name takes after a sportsman, who, in the late 1880s, represented Nottinghamshire and England at cricket as Nottingham Forest, Notts County and England as a footballer. He also founded cricket bat manufacturers Gun & Moore.

Holodynsky said: "We have always admired the site and have been operating venues in West Bridgford and Nottingham for over 20 years and the location is perfect for what we are hoping to achieve.

"We're looking forward to welcoming guests and providing the kind of hospitality and welcome we are known for."

The bar is close to the City Ground which is home to Nottingham Forest and Trent Bridge cricket ground.

LCP asset manager, which owns and manages the small parade of shops on Radcliffe Road, Marin Wade commented: "West Bridgford is a lively and affluent area of Nottingham and it's great news that we have brought a new concept to Radcliffe Road through Tom and Owen."

The bar can accommodate around 100 people and the opening has created 15 new jobs.

Ridgeview opens new hospitality experience

English sparkling wine business Ridgeview has opened the Rows & Vine – an al fresco, all-year-round restaurant on the Ridgeview Wine Estate in East Sussex.

The venue in Ditchling overlooks the Chardonnay vineyards on site as well as the South Downs National Park.

Visitors can sample seasonal tapas-style sharing plates as well as the vineyard’s English sparkling wines.

Ridgeview’s second-generation chief executive Tamara Roberts said: “Tourism is a really exciting development for English wine.

“With demand at an all-time high, our new on-site hospitality venue is a destination that can welcome visitors and guests throughout the year, overlooking the most stunning of English views.

“Our vision is for the Rows & Vine to champion locally grown seasonal Sussex food, paired with our portfolio of exceptional sparkling wines, the very best that our gorgeous country and country undoubtedly produces.”

Inception Group to launch power station-themed bar

London-based bar operator Inception Group will open a 1950s-themed site in Battersea Power Station’s historic Control Room B on 14 October when the grade II*-listed building opens its doors to the public.

Inception Group, which is behind brands including Mr Fogg’s and Cahoots, will open the immersive experience called Control Room B that takes inspiration from the power station’s architecture and history. It will feature mid-century furniture and glassware, and there will also be a centrepiece bar, which is a turbine-inspired radial sculpture – paying homage to the character and form of Battersea Power Station’s electric history.

Inception Group co-founder Charlie Gilkes said: “We couldn’t be more excited to be opening a bar within the most iconic part of one of London’s most important landmarks. Having lived in Battersea my whole life, it’s amazing to be playing a part in the most exciting redevelopment project for many years and to be bringing this space back to life.”

Traditional pub reopens following £250k investment

The Avenue, High Shincliffe, Durham has reopened following a £205,000 investment by independent operators Punch Pubs & Co.

Management partners Karan and Peter Boyes have taken the helm of the pub after a two-month restoration that included brand-new external signage and a revamp of its six bedrooms.

The pub’s traditional features, such as its wooden bar area, have also been enhanced and a new menu serving pub classics will be on offer.

Karan and Peter were “thrilled” to relaunch the pub. Karan said: "We’re loving being here and sharing the new-look Avenue with the locals.

“The rooms are proving extremely popular; we’ve got people visiting family and friends from all over the world and as far afield as South Africa!

“It's lovely to offer guests a home-away-from-home in a ‘proper’ pub that’s now been shown the love it deserves and can be enjoyed by so many.”

REKOM to open fifth site in Welsh capital

Late night operator REKOM has secured its fifth venue in Cardiff following the acquisition of Story nightclub.

The deal for the Greyfriars Road venue follows the business’s purchase of the city’s former Yard Bar, which is now undergoing a £1.2m transformation into the UK’s first Proud Mary pub.

Creating 30 new jobs, the 1,400 capacity Story will reopen as District this month in time for Freshers. It will complement REKOM’s neighbouring club PRYZM, with alternative event-led music entertainment.

REKOM country executive director Russell Quelch said the “vibrant” city of Cardiff was a key part of the late-night operator’s UK expansion strategy.

District meant REKOM could build on its cluster of businesses in the Welsh capital, which ranged from après ski-themed bar Heidi’s Bier Bar to two nightclubs, party bar Steinbeck & Shaw and Proud Mary pub.

For Quelch, this meant REKOM offered “something for everyone” in the city. “We believe Cardiff can accommodate two clubs of PRYZM and District’s size, giving us the scope to put on a wider range of events and cater for more of the late-night market in the city,” he added.