A Bath pub has reopened following a £500,000 refurbishment designed with social distancing in mind.
The Moorfields, pictured, in Oldfield Park was taken over by The Bath Pub Company in March just as the country went into lockdown.
The re-opening comes as many pubs in Bath continue to struggle as social distancing measures and the requirements of table service and the 10pm closure increase their costs while hitting takings.
The investment in The Moorfields has been made jointly by The Bath Pub Company, which already operates The Hare & Hounds, The Marlborough Tavern and The Locksbrook Inn, and Stonegate Pub Company, the UK’s largest pub business.
The work, which was hampered by lockdown, includes a 120-cover garden with outside bar to follow.
The investment, the biggest so far by The Bath Pub Company, has brought a new lease of life to the building. Its traditional pub feel has been retained while making way for contemporary features and a modern kitchen.
Taking the helm of the renovated and fully refurbished pub is general manager Paul Newson, who joins from Bath’s Circo Cellar Bar, alongside Jack Scarterfield, the long-standing head chef from sister pub The Marlborough Tavern.
Jack, who has two AA Rosettes to his name, has designed a menu described as “contemporary with flavoursome crowd pleasers”.
Bath Pub Company managing director Joe Cussens said: “It’s such a big building, we just knew when we took it over we would have to do it properly.
“We worked with the design team at Stonegate from day one, and we made sure we didn’t just have a beautiful pub, but one that functioned practically from an operations perspective – which is so important to the successful running of a great pub.
“It’s also our first all-induction kitchen, which is positive in so many ways. It’s cleaner, greener, quieter, cooler and basically provides a much better environment for our kitchen staff to work their magic in.”
isabelle whitehouse, regional manager for Ei Publican Partnerships, the leased and tenanted division of Stonegate Pub Company, added: “We’re delighted to have partnered with The Bath Pub Company on such an exciting project, especially at this time.
“As well as bringing the Bath community a fantastic new pub, we hope this investment shows our continued dedication to supporting our partners and our faith in the hospitality industry as a whole.”
Ei Group was acquired in March this year by Stonegate Pub Company for £1.27bn, taking its portfolio to 1,270 sites within its managed division and 3,200 leased and tenanted businesses, which makes up Ei Publican Partnerships.
The managed pubs division includes the Slug & Lettuce, Walkabout, Be At One and Venues brands along with traditional (unbranded) pubs.
