Seafood Pub Company acquires third pub in two years
The company, which opened its first pub, The Oyster & Otter in Feniscowles, Lancashire, in March 2011, has just bought the Farmers Arms in Great Eccleston which it plans to refurbish and open under a new name next March.
A company spokesman said the plan was to remodel the pub, which has been closed for some time, to the same standard as the group's two other sites and turn it into a destination seafood-led dining pub with a dedicated bar and private dining area.
Expansion
Earlier this year the company secured the lease of the Assheton Arms in the Ribble Valley village of Downham and spent £400k on a refurbishment, creating a two-storey 130-cover gastropub with panoramic views across to Pendle Hill.
“Now we feel ready to extend the same straightforward approach and uncomplicated preparation of top quality food to a third destination pub,” said managing director Neve, who set up the business last year with Shirley, a former sous chef at Harvey Nichols in London and head chef at Raffles in the West Indies.
The pair are already reportedly planning their fourth site for next year to expand their seafood-led concept further.
Capitalising on the fact that Neve's father Chris has an established fish wholesale business, the pub company focuses on using quality 'same day' catches from Fleetwood trawlers with fish often making it to the plate on the same day as it has been caught.
The group's menu also includes a number of dishes using locally-sourced meat with all dishes delivered without any 'pretentious foam, dots or swipes'.
