Midlands-based Roseacre Pub Company has taken on its fourth Star Pubs & Bars pub, the Beacon Hotel in Burton on Trent, bringing its food-led pub restaurant estate to nine.
The multiple operator and Star Pubs & Bars are together investing £500k in a major upgrade of the Beacon Hotel, which when complete will lead to 40 new jobs.
Michael Thomas, who set up The Rosecare Pub Company in 2014 has worked in pub and restaurant retailing for 35 years and held senior operations roles with Chef & Brewer, Premier Inn, Vintage Inns and Fayre & Square.
He said, “We are always looking for new suburban pubs in the Midlands and want to double the size of the company. A model based on a 60-70% food ratio site with 130-140 covers works well for us.
“We get offered sites all the time but as soon as I saw the Beacon Hotel, I knew straightaway that it was the right site for us. The Beacon Hotel ticks all the boxes for us. The local community have been amazing and welcomed us with open arms. We like working in partnership with Star Pubs & Bars. They are very supportive and have some excellent sites.”
Work at the Beacon Hotel, which starts on 10 February, will see the underperforming wet-led community pub transformed into a top-quality pub restaurant offering great value home cooked food. It will reopen early April 2020 with a more spacious, contemporary look and feel.
Covers at the pub are being increased from 86 to 152 inside and from 52 to 142 outside. The interior is being opened up to create a bar and open plan restaurant and lounge. The old function room will also be incorporated into the main restaurant area, with French doors leading into the garden.
An accessible toilet with baby changing facilities is being installed and the Kitchen extended to enable it to cater for the increased numbers of diners.
Outside the exterior is being given a softer look, partly rendered in smart grey and black with a wraparound garden created at the front complete with white picket fence and tables and chairs. The large beer garden at the rear is also being overhauled with new benches and tables for alfresco dining.
The menu at the Beacon Hotel will feature traditional pub food including a wide selection of burgers, pizza & pasta, steaks & grills, fish & Seafood and a Sunday carvery.
The drinks offer will see craft beers introduced and a wider range of cask ale and premium draught lager as well as a comprehensive selection of gins, wines, and cocktails.
The Beacon will open in the morning for coffee, pastries and cake with 100% speciality grade Arabica coffee supplied by Sheffield based Forge Roasters.
Alun Johnson, Star Pubs & Bars Regional Operations Director, said, “We’re delighted that Michael is taking on another pub with us. He has a wealth of experience, a great track record and a clear vision of where he is taking his business. We look forward to helping him realise his ambitions for The Roseacre Pub company.”