Grand Union to grow to 16 pubs in 2011
Managing director Adam Marshall said the next pub to open would be a Young’s-leased site in Wandsworth on 26 August, the third GU Group has with the pubco.
Grand Union Wandsworth will have nine Thai treehouses in the beer garden, along with a 35ft circular tree bar.
The refurbishment, which is being carried out in under three weeks, will cost between £140k and £160k. The decor is in keeping with the rest of the GU estate, complete with floral wallpaper and vintage furniture.
A private snug can be hired for up to 60 people, with a separate bar and audiovisual equipment, while the venue will serve its renowned gourmet burgers and handmade pizzas for lunch and dinner.
Further expansion
The other two new sites will open in November. One is a 7,000sq ft privately-leased unit, located in London’s Paddington Basin area, next to the Marks & Spencer headquarters.
The third site is a Punch-leased pub in Godalming, Surrey, which will have a £150k refurbishment before opening.
Marshall said: “We’re looking at quite a few sites, but the plate is full. We’ll wait until these sites are finished before continuing the expansion. We plan to increase from 12 to 16 Grand Union sites by 2011.”
Last year the firm expanded from four to nine sites and tripled turnover.
Gemma McKenna is senior reporter of BigHospitality's sister publication, The Morning Advertiser.
