Southern-style restaurant chain, Hickory’s Smokehouse has just opened its eighth restaurant in Worcester, and has also announced plans to open Gresty Green, East Cheshire later this year.
Hickory’s, founded in Chester by Neil McDonnell in 2010 following extensive research into the American BBQ and smokehouse sector, is renowned for its focus on food quality, authenticity and exceptional customer service.
The majority of its sites are former pubs which have been painstakingly refurbished and returned to the heart of their local communities. Backed since October 2014 by specialist investor in consumer brands Piper, the group posted sales of £16.6m in the most recently filed accounts for the year ended 30 April 2017.
The highly anticipated new Hickory’s restaurant in Worcester is based on the site of the former ‘Pavilion’ in Cripplegate Park and promises to bring a true taste of the Deep South to deepest Worcestershire.
The restaurant will continue the company’s commitment to bring guests authentic ‘Southern style’ hospitality. The Worcester site has been completely transformed, both inside and out. The restaurant’s strong family-friendly focus is evident throughout the new design, with a dedicated family dining area, a children’s cinema room, a secure garden area complete with yard games and a ping-pong table. Children of all ages will love it.
The ninth Hickory’s restaurant will be in Gresty Green, East Cheshire, located between Nantwich and Crewe. The site, previously the Cheshire Cheese pub, will include a completely new, open kitchen and chef’s bar, with relaxed dining area and a neighbourhood bar, along with, veranda, fire pits, a garden and the family-friendly features that are key across all Hickory’s restaurants.
Hickory’s Smokehouse founder, Neil McDonnell said, ‘We are hugely excited to bring the Hickory’s experience both to Worcester and Gresty Green. We are thrilled with the positive feedback from guests in Worcester so far and humbled by the response and support from both local communities.
'We spend a lot of time getting to know the people, listening to them and finding ways that we can work together. The response is often wonderfully friendly and creates long lasting personal relationships.
'We stay in different hotels, visit bars and restaurants, go to sporting and local events to get a feel for the local community. It’s really important to us that we are complementing each area and that we fully play our part.’
