Tom Gravett and Renata ‘Renny’ Peret are set to officially reopen the George in the village of Newnham, Kent, this week, which is just a few miles away from their first pub.
Despite not having been actively looking for a second venture to take on, they had gone for dinner there shortly before the tenancy became available.
They were so taken with the country inn, which is in as idyllic a Kent village as their first – the Three Mariners in Oare – they decided to take it on themselves and reopen it with the Faversham-based brewery.
They will officially reopen the doors of the historic, beamed pub on Wednesday (26 July).
Slant to using local produce
“We know many people hold the George in high esteem,” said Tom. “It has got a good reputation for good food, and being a beautiful, characterful pub, which it definitely is.
“We can’t wait to get started and are looking forward to breathing life back into it and making it a relaxed environment with a strong slant towards using local produce.”
The couple, who both managed London venues for 20 years before moving to Oare four years ago with their young family, will continue to run the Three Mariners along with the George.
Renny said: “We will be living super close to both pubs, which is brilliant. We love the energy the George has. We have to feel the right energy to take somewhere on and the George definitely has it.
“The George and the Three Mariners will be equally as important to us. They are both our babies.”
The couple will introduce an a la carte menu at the Newnham site to follow in the footsteps of the Three Mariners, where there is a fish-led menu. Tom describes the new menu as being “the turf to the Mariners’ surf.”
Plan to introduce events
The menu will offer Sunday roasts and will also include fresh fish bought straight from local fishing boats, which will be cooked in a newly installed reconditioned kitchen, which the couple had fitted in the past few weeks.
They are also keen to use the pub’s spacious, lawned pub garden, which looks out over fields at the back, and are hoping to introduce events for locals, such as open air cinema evenings and quiz nights.
Shepherd Neame director of tenanted pub operations Greg Wallis said: “We are absolutely delighted Tom and Renny are taking on a second of our tenanted pubs.
“They have been superb licensees since taking over the Three Mariners and their blend of experience and creativity has already proved successful – they also won their first Shepherd Neame Pub Award for Best Wine Offer in May.
“Their natural enthusiasm and energy creates a warm, welcoming environment for everyone who comes through their doors.”
