Hydes reopens Chester pub following £500k investment
Hydes Brewery has reopened its Chester based site The Hornsmill, following a £500,000 refurbishment and modernisation.
The pub, which is located in Helsby, was acquired by Hydes in 2015. The revamp includes a complete interior overhaul with new furniture and fixtures, and a reconfigured bar layout to provide more spacious dining.
A refresh of the exterior has also been completed with new lighting and signage.
This latest refurbishment is part of an ongoing multimillion-pound investment programme across the Hydes estate, which is planned to take place over the next few years.
Showcasing comforting seasonal food, as well as an extensive range of wines, beers and soft drinks, the pub offers a spacious orangery, dining area and bar, with a restaurant serving 160 guests. Sunday lunch is also served every weekend.
Hydes autumn/winter menu is also served seven days a week and offers a range of freshly prepared dishes.
The Hornsmill general manager Sam Self was appointed in 2023. Self and his team have established the site as a destination venue for locals as well as guests from further afield.
Self commented: “I’m delighted with the refurbishment and it's great to see the Hornsmill looking so magnificent in the run-up to the busy festive period.
“The last refurbishment was nine years ago when Hydes first acquired the pub so it’s great to have this latest investment, which will be a huge hit with all our guests.”
Hydes Brewery managing director Adam Mayers said: “The Hornsmill is a superb pub in an ideal location and continues to go from strength to strength.
“It’s great to see it reopen with an inviting new look and feel, retaining all its previous charm and character, which is very important to us and our customers.
“As a popular premium dining pub, we’re confident customers old and new are going to love the contemporary new look and more open feel.”
Parker Pub Co's operators open seventh venue
Parker Pub Co’s Christian Arden and Ben Abrahams pledge to “give pubs back to our neighbourhoods” with the opening of their seventh venue.
Christian Arden and Ben Abrahams, hospitality operators and co-founders of Parker Pub Co have taken over the Royal Oak in Twickenham, south-west London.
The duo have already invested a significant £100,000 sum into the site, with a planned refurbishment also in the works.
With a vision to transform neighbourhood based sites, the pair have transformed seven neighbourhood venues across London since 2021.
The operators plan to centre the Royal Oak around sustainable food with plans to make it a destination site offering locally sourced ingredients. Further investment in the site is set for early 2025, to upgrade both the kitchen and private dining areas.
Arden stated: “We want the Royal Oak to become a favourite drinking and dining pub for the local community as well as for visitors to Twickenham stadium, who are looking for a fabulous meal and great drinks after a match.
"At our other local pubs, we already have a reputation for fantastic, freshly cooked food with sustainability – it’s what we do best and it’s something we’re absolutely passionate about, so we want to bring that to the Royal Oak.”
Parker Pub Co has also recently invested in a refurbishment of its popular Barnes pub, the Crossing Pub, which, in October, celebrated the third anniversary of Arden and Abrahams at the helm.
Abrahams said: “We’re a community pub business at heart and being part of local life is hugely important to us. We want our customers in all of our pubs to feel like they’re a part of who we are as a business.
“Our job is to meet their expectations the best way we know how and hopefully exceed them.”
The Royal Oak's new autumn/winter menus feature a range of seasonal dishes, freshly prepared in-house. Centred around a predominantly British menu, items include freshly delivered fish from Swanage and foraged mushrooms and truffles from Dorset to Sika.
Other produce items include venison and lamb from Daphne’s in Denbighshire and vegetables from Natoora and other local markets.
New head chef at the site, Riccardo Rizzo manages kitchens throughout the company’s other south-west London pubs which include the Crossing in Barnes, White Horse in Richmond, and New Inn in Ham Common.
Arden continued: “Our entire business model and my own personal passion is focused on breathing new life into cherished community pubs with authenticity, sustainability and quality food at their heart.
“Not only do we want to make our pubs incredible, welcoming destinations for the local communities, we ensure we put sustainability foremost by using local suppliers, fresh ingredients and minimising the use of single use plastic and waste.”
Roxy Leisure plans to make London Debut
Roxy Leisure has announced it will be bringing its multi-format competitive socialising concept to London, in spring 2025. Roxy Ball Room, is set to be located at St Mary Axe, in the City of London.
The site is set to feature the brand’s array of signature activities, which include tech darts, basketball, beer pong, duck pin bowling and many more.
The venue will provide its signature rock ’n’ indie soundtrack and is an over-18s establishment, which will be open for guests until late during week days.
Following its announcement in August to change its name to Professionals at Play, Roxy Leisure Holdings created a brand for leading competitive socialising operators Roxy Leisure and Pins Leisure.
The brand's change to Professionals at Play was bolstered with a management restructure as Colin Sadler became the chief operating officer.
Roxy Leisure marketing director Joel Mitchell said: “We’re made up to announce we will be bringing our signature ‘booze & ball games’ concept to the capital for the first time next year after spending the past decade cementing our name across the hospitality scene in the north.
“We understand that opening a venue in the capital is a whole new ball game, which is why we’ve spent a great deal of time researching and sourcing the right site for the Roxy Ball Room brand.”
Pandora Inn searching for new publican
The Pandora Inn located near Falmouth, Cornwall, is on the hunt for a new publican. The 13th century site has its own pontoon, which also doubles as a beer garden.
Following a fire in 2011, the site has since seen increased popularity and has been put on the global map. The flagstone flooring, low-beamed ceilings and thatched roof date back as far as the 1200s.
The site’s interior showcases maritime related items, log fires and a ship figurehead alongside a replica of HMS Pandora.
The venue’s pontoon beer garden also serves as a space to moor up kayaks and paddle boards.
St Austell Brewery head of tenanted estate Clive Greene said: “Running the historic Pandora Inn offers an extraordinary opportunity to own a piece of Cornish heritage. This pub is not just a place to enjoy a pint; it’s a destination.
“Tthe Pandora Inn's prime location offers access to scenic waterways, perfect for boating enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. With a steady flow of tourists and locals year-round, the potential for vibrant business growth is immense.
“As a new tenant, you’ll have great opportunities to enhance the Pandora Inn’s appeal. With room for creative culinary ventures events and community engagement, there’s potential to elevate this pub beyond its already brilliant reputation.”
Previous landlord of the site, John Milan and his business partner Steve are handing over the keys after 25 years. The site is part of St Austell Brewery’s 120+ strong leased and tenanted estate across the South West, available to run from early 2025. The pub is set to close in January for redecoration, with hopes of reopening in February.
The George IV reopens in Chiswick
The George Inn located in Chiswick, west London, has reopened following a complete refurbishment which included the bar, dining area and purpose-built function space, The Boston Room.
The Fuller's site showcases recently upcycled furniture and a 200-person capacity function room, which has also undergone a transformation. The Boston Room hosts a variety of headlines and shows and is available for private hire and larger private functions.
Reopening celebrations were hosted at the venue on Friday 12 and Saturday 16 November, with live music included as well as headliner comedy shows featuring Rich Hall, Stephen K Amos and Jo Caulfield.
Family day held on Sunday 17 November called in the last of the celebrations, with a kids' table in the games room and face painting in the garden. Live music was also included in the celebrations featuring blues and jazz held in the main bar area.
The George IV general manager Ben Bullman said: “I’m so excited to open the doors and show off our new-look pub.
“The place looks amazing – with new furniture, colour scheme and décor – while keeping the charm that our customers love… over the years, we’ve worked hard to create an exciting calendar of events – cementing our position at the heart of the High Road.”
He continued: “the calendar continues to grow and we have events on every week – either in the bar or our fantastic event space, The Boston Room."
Sixes opens cricket-focused site in Leeds
A new virtual gaming bar celebrating cricket launched in Leeds on Friday 15th November. Sixes is an immersive hospitality experience centred around the sport, situated in Headingley just 300 metres from the iconic Yorkshire County Cricket Ground.
Powered by world class sports technology, cricket-lovers are able to participate in many activities at the venue such as batting challenges and enjoying pizzas, burgers, sharing platters, craft cocktails and beers.
The Leeds site will be the brand’s 12th opening in the UK and its sixth opening in the past 12 months. It is set to occupy the site previously home to Manahatta.
Set across two floors, Sixes will showcase three nets where cricket games can be enjoyed. With multiple game modes available at five skill levels, all testing hand eye skill, upper body reflexes, power and speed. No experience is required to take part in the games which are played against virtual bowlers.
Other game highlights include bar games, arcade machines, shuffleboards and live big screen action showing all major events. The venue also offers private hire options.
Friends Calum Mackinnon and Andy Waugh, devised the concept in 2020 with a mission to create a place where customers could ‘play sport in a party bar’.
Mackinnon said: “We are extremely excited to be bringing the Sixes concept to Leeds. It’s a city that loves a good party but is also renowned for its love of cricket, which makes it the perfect fit for us.
"Being located in the heart of Headingley, a place that is so synonymous with the sport, is the icing on the cake and we can’t wait to throw our doors open and welcome everyone next week.”
Market Taverns acquires Crown & Anchor
London-based Market Taverns has acquired the Crown & Anchor pub located in Chiswick.
The estate has now expanded to 15 site and follows the earlier acquisition of the Spencer Arms in Putney.
The Crown & Anchor dates back to around 1825 and is thought to be one of Chiswick’s oldest pubs.
Market Taverns operations director Adrian Laws said: “The Crown & Anchor is a welcome addition to the Market Taverns estate.
“We can’t wait to add our touch of Market Taverns magic as we welcome guests old and new just in time for the festive season.”
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