JDW to open site near BrewDog’s huge Waterloo pub

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Mass appeal: JDW chairman Tim Martin says the new pub will attract a wide range of people

Managed pubs operator JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is to open a new pub near BrewDog’s huge London site at The Sidings, Waterloo station.

JDW said it will invest approximately £2.5m developing the pub that is slated to open this summer, creating 120 full and part-time jobs.

The pub will be named the Lion & the Unicorn, which is a reference to the Festival of Britain that was held close to the site of the pub in 1951 when one of the pavilions was named the Lion & the Unicorn.

The pub will be located just steps away from the BrewDog’s largest pub, on the upper ground floor of The Sidings development, which is a repurposing of the former Eurostar Terminal, by property developer LCR.

Abundance of natural light

The site will have floor to ceiling glazing around the perimeter that JDW said will “offer views to the station concourse and an abundance of natural light”.

JDW chairman and founder Tim Martin said: “We are looking forward to opening our new pub.

“We are confident it will appeal to a wide range of people and be a great asset to the station itself.”

LCR asset management director Sian Evans added: “The Sidings at Waterloo is set to become one of London’s leading leisure and entertainment destinations.

“The new Wetherspoon pub will provide another great reason for people to visit.”

Sort this mess out

BrewDog Waterloo was named Best New Site at the Publican Awards last year with the pub boasting a huge square footage of space operating on both the upstairs and lower floor of The Sidings.

However, co-founder and CEO of BrewDog has previously stated rail strikes have hurt not just BrewDog’s business but all companies across the UK.

He demanded the Government “sort this mess out” in July last year yet strikes are continuing to this day with planned action set to take place this weekend and next week.