Whiting & Hammond secures lease of former Young's site in Kent
Managing director Brian Whiting told the PMA's sister publication M&C Allegra the pub would under-go a significant refurbishment before re-opening in March.
It will be Whiting & Hammond’s ninth site following the opening of the Blue Ball in Walton on the Hill, Surrey in the summer.
Success
Work being undertaken will include adding an oak framed extension at the back, expanding the kitchen and relocating the bar and toilets. Whiting said the company would aim to recreate the success of the outdoor barbecue at the Little Brown Jug.
"It's a big site with a fantastic garden and, no matter how the rest of the pub has performed in the past, that outdoor area has always thrived"
- Brian Whiting
Whiting said: “It’s not far from our heartland and we have a good name in this area. It’s a big site with a fantastic garden and, no matter how the rest of the pub has performed in the past, that outdoor area has always thrived.”
He added that he expected the next 12 months to be a period of consolidation but said “if something falls in my lap I would consider it”.
Uplift
On recent trading, Whiting said: “If I’m completely honest I much preferred the recession. Back then we were seeing double digit growth and the casual dining chains were too nervous to expand.
“October was a nice little uplift for us. Considering we’re not really sports pubs we expected the Rugby World Cup to have a negative impact on us. But in the end it was a decent month.”
