Pub operator and brewer Brakspear will open its ninth managed pub at the end of November, when the Retreat in Staines transfers across from its tenanted estate following a major refurbishment.
The pub, formerly called the Anglers Retreat, is undergoing a redevelopment which will turn it into a stylish but welcoming local offering drinks and dining for residents and workers in and around Staines.
The Retreat is being designed with three distinct areas to make it an appealing destination for a number of drinking and dining occasions. Drinkers will be able to sup a pint at the bar while watching sport on the big screens, or enjoy a coffee or a cocktail with friends in the cosy snug area.
In the dining area, an open kitchen with wood-fired oven will allow customers to watch their Italian-style pizza being made and cooked. Steaks will also feature large on the menu, with diners able to choose their preferred size and cut of 100-day aged beef.
The menu, still being designed, will also offer a range of other main courses and snacks, allowing guests to grab a quick bite or enjoy a meal with family or friends in the Retreat's relaxed, informal atmosphere. On Sundays, the Retreat's carvery invites customers to ‘take the hassle out of roasts'.
Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies (pictured) said, 'We are delighted to be adding the Retreat to our managed division and turning it into somewhere that is modern and stylish but still at heart a locals pub, where our customers can relax and unwind at the end of a busy day or week. The Retreat is the perfect name for what we will be offering when we reopen.
'Bringing our managed estate up to nine pubs puts us comfortably on track to reach at least 10 sites, which has always been our target. We have invested in the people and infrastructure to support this number and the sites we've redeveloped are performing exceptionally well. We're confident the Retreat will quickly become a successful addition to our managed business.'
The Retreat is the third redevelopment within Brakspear's managed division this year following the George Townhouse in Shipston-on-Stour and the Sheep on Sheep Street in Stow-on-the-Wold, which reopened in May and June respectively.
Brakspear's first managed pub, the Bull on Bell Street in Henley-on-Thames, opened in March 2013. In addition to the George Hotel and Sheep on Sheep Street, it has two further sites in the Cotswolds: the Porch House in Stow-on-the-Wold and the Church Street Townhouse in Stratford on Avon. Its other managed pubs are: the Chequers in Marlow, Running Horses in Mickleham, Surrrey and Pocket Watch in Shepherds Bush.
