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Accounts and finance man Fox “That’s something we’re looking
Style and substance: The Bolingbroke bar and (below) “cosy corner”
takes up the rest of the story. “Next at for The Avalon,” says Peake.
came The Stonhouse, in 2006. “We’ve had the odd
And this September saw the wine-matching event and it is
opening of The Bolingbroke. Our something we’re looking to do
next one is the big one, The Avalon, more of.”
which will open in November.” The “Obviously there’s the simple,
Avalon will also be in Clapham, and classic ones that work,” says
the friends believe that this will be Reynolds.
their flagship site (see illustration, “But we don’t pair up wines and
left). foods on lists as customers have
“It’s a standalone building with a got their own idea of what they like
huge garden,” says Peake, “Overall with what, so sometimes
it’s a big project and will be quite there’s a bit of a conflict with
a landmark. It is a slight departure that one.”
for us, as it’s just a much grander The traditional way
destination.” forward regarding food and
“It’s a very handsome building,” wine recommendations is for
continues Fox, “with a fantastic
WE TRANSFORM
the staff to be educated. In
dining room and a beautiful ceiling. turn, they can recommend
But it does need some work doing to
SITES, RATHER
wines rather than having
it. It’s a nine-week build that we’re
THAN JUST
something overt on a list. Yet
involved in, and we’re three weeks this is more difficult in a pub
into it now.” BREATH NEW environment, with the usual
Big changes
LIFE INTO THEM
high turnover of staff.
“It’s a constant process,
The scale of the undertaking is and we do have pretty good
something the partners are keen to staff retention,” continues
emphasise, as part of their ethos is forward lies in simplicity, and not Peake. “But it’s always the
to take on big projects. “I’d say we overly complicating things. The seasonal really. We have specials on waitresses we turn over quicker
transform sites, rather than just nearest he has come to explaining top. There are quite big changes than anyone else. They tend to
breathe new life into them,” says their business plan is: “Just doing the four times a year, but there is come and go quite
Peake. “All of our sites are simple things well. Some people call constant updating and monitoring.” a lot.”
significantly different, whether or not themselves gastropubs but you can “Having the menus printed on a The Renaissance pubs do regular
we do major structural work get caught up in the whole piece of paper gives us that tastings and have good
like we did at The Abbeville and gastropub definition. In terms of flexibility,” adds Fox. “It’s so relationships with their wine
The Stonhouse, it’s always a price and appeal to the masses, if important to be able to do that suppliers, according to Reynolds.
big difference.” you like, we just keep things a little in-house.” “We’ve got three or four different
Essentially, the company’s simpler than some other pubs The Renaissance website has wine suppliers, and when one
overriding desire is to rescue the and franchises.” details of all the venues except The of them does come down for a
British pub. “The Abbeville was a “They are very much pubs aren’t Avalon, which will be added once tasting, he notices that his sales go
restaurant bar and we took it to a they?” adds Fox. “I think they are it has opened. Full menus and through the roof. Because if he’s
pub,” says Reynolds, who runs the pubs with a strong food offering wine lists are available online, talking about his New Zealand
operations side of the company. rather than restaurants.” as well as a gallery of photos, Sauvignon or his Aussie
“The Stonhouse was an old man’s This strong food focus is a natural contact details, reviews and maps. Chardonnay, you’re going to sell
boozer that was falling apart and consequence of the company’s those bottles that night.”
had turned into something of a origins, which lie with the Cinnamon Food and wine With beer seemingly in demand
drugs den, so we did some major Cay restaurant. The menus, which Along with a growing interest in and rather fashionable again, the
work there. The White Hart was a are printed on sheets of paper and locally sourced produce, the British Renaissance pubs also offer at least
restaurant, a tapas bar that had clipped to wooden boards placed on consumer is becoming more two real ales in each venue. “Sales
been a pub before, and we put it the tables, are constantly updated in educated and enthusiastic about are pretty good, and we get through
back to the pub, so there’s definitely all of the pubs. wine. As a result, an emphasis on a fair amount,” says Fox.
a theme involved.” “There are ongoing changes to food and wine pairing is becoming “In The Avalon we’ll probably have
Peake believes the best way our menu,” says Reynolds, “but it’s more prevalent. three real ales,” adds Peake, “andUIforward
Log onto
www.wineinnovation.co.uk to find out
more about the Wine Innovation Awards 2009
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