The Leicester Arms in Penshurst, Kent, has opened its doors following a £1.2m refurbishment by owners Brakspear in partnership with the Little & Large Pub Company, which also operates the Running Horses – a Brakspear pub at the foot of Box Hill in Surrey.
The redevelopment has retained the character of the grade II-listed building while “creating a relaxed environment for informal drinking and dining” and the pub’s 11 en-suite bedrooms have been upgraded as well.
Brakspear said the new menu at the Leicester Arms offers “delicious, quality food to suit a range of tastes and occasions, with a focus on seasonal and local ingredients”.
Work their magic
It added its steaks from the Robata grill served with a variety of sauces and sides are the “highlight of the a la carte menu, which also features fish, chicken and a selection of interesting starters and desserts”.
Meanwhile, the Sunday menu focuses on roasts while there are also “value-conscious” menus including a set lunch every day at £25 for two courses and a steak night every Wednesday at £30 for three courses.
Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies said: “We were happy to invest in the Leicester Arms and create a pub where Little & Large can work their magic.
“They’ve proven themselves to be fantastic operators at the Running Horses so we look forward to seeing their second Brakspear pub become a similar success.”
Talented operators
Davies continued: “We have many stunning pubs in beautiful locations across the south-east but they are only ever as good as the business partners who run them. Working with talented operators is key to our success, and we’re delighted to have extended our relationship with Little & Large.”
Little & Large took on the Running Horses, near Dorking, in early 2022 and turned the pub into one of the stars of Brakspear’s leased and tenanted estate.
Brakspear operates about 110 leased and tenanted pubs, and a further 10 in its managed division, Honeycomb Houses. Most of its pubs are based in the south-east, with an estate stretching from Dover and the south coast up to the Cotswolds.
Little & Large Pub Company was founded in 2019 by Manu Bhatt, who runs the business with Richard Brown. In addition to its two pubs with Brakspear, the company also operates the Queens Head in Dorking and the Talbot in Brockley, south-east London.
