Publican Awards Winners: Best Pub Brand / Concept sponsered by Asahi - The Botanist
The Botanist is the principal brand for the New World Trading Company, which also operates the City of London-focused Trading House format as well as standalone sites such as Smuggler’s Cove and the Club House, both in Liverpool.
Last summer the group started a new chapter following its acquisition by Graphite for £50m, but ambitions remain the same: six new openings are targeted for every year, the majority of which will be under the Botanist banner.
NWTC chief executive Chris Hill has long described his vision for the concept as a “reinvention of the pub”, with a strong focus on ensuring the offer and surroundings are female friendly. He has stressed that while he expects the service and the offer to rival any restaurant or bar chain, it is imperative this is paired with the informality and homeliness of a pub.
The Botanist offer centres around a high-quality but simple menu paired with an accessible but comprehensive drinks range. Live music has been a core part of the model from the start, and sourcing a suitable piano is a key part of each fit-out.
The brand continues to defy expectations, opening in already highly competitive areas and returning consistently solid returns.
It has proved itself in a variety of locations and site types
and has been successful in appealing across demographics
and age groups.
The Botanist has proven itself to be an adaptable, appealing pub concept that does not seem to be rooted to a particular fashion or era and looks set to be an enduring feature of the eating and drinking out landscape for many years to come.
