Raymond Blanc protégés take over Leamington pub
A pair of Raymond Blanc’s protégés have acquired the lease on a pub and grill venue in Leamington Spa, which they plan to rejuvenate with a “new cuisine flair” at affordable prices.
Nigel Brown and Charles Harris purchased a 15 year lease on The Moorings canal side venue in Myton Road, which had closed unexpectedly earlier this year.
They now plan to pump £250k into a total refurbishment of the venue, which will have a ‘New England’ style atmosphere and will serve Anglo French cuisine.
Local and seasonal
Brown and Harris, who also run The Stag at Offchurch, say that Raymond Blanc’s influence on them will continue to play a “significant role” in the style of the cuisine, with the menu based around locally sources and seasonal produce.
Harris trained with Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons near Oxford and The Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham. Brown was part of Raymond Blanc’s team at Le Petit Blanc brasseries in Birmingham and Manchester.
The reopening of 160-seater Moorings will generate 50 new jobs on its opening later this month.
Charles Harris said: “We never anticipated expanding quite so quickly, but the chance to acquire such a prime landmark facility within 15 minutes of The Stag was just too good an opportunity to miss.”
The pair said they also plan to capture lunch trade by offering an extended lunch menu as well as “welcoming space for business meetings and conferences”.
