Harry Ramsden’s to open third pub with Punch

The chain will take on Punch pub the Bull's Head in Horbury, West Yorkshire, with an eye to further expansion into the sector.

The company's head of pub operations, Gavin Mansfield, told the Publican's Morning Advertiser'​s sister publication MCA'​s Pub Conference yesterday (15 June) that its most recently opened site, the 3 Bridges in South Queensferry, Edinburgh, had already seen sales quadruple in the few weeks it had been run by Harry Ramsden's compared to when it was solely trading as a pub.

Strong trade​

Trade at the original Harry Ramsden's pub site, the Wingerworth, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, was similarly strong, he said, adding that he was particularly pleased to have maintained high beer sales (48%) despite an increasing focus on food.

Harry Ramsden's has partnered with Punch​ for all its pub openings so far.

Marrying of icons​

David Wingham, development director at Punch, previously told MCA​: "It's a marrying of two icons, as the sector always evolves, and this is one innovation among many that are happening at the moment."

Dishes on offer at Harry Ramsden's pubs include steamed south coast mussels, piri piri half spatchcock chicken and smokehouse baby back rack of ribs.

Earlier this year, managing director of foodservice analysts Horizons Peter Backman told the PMA ​he predicted the lines between various eating-out concepts to become increasingly blurred during the next year.