Greene King launches Old Speckled Hen pub concept

Greene King is turning its Loch Fyne restaurant site in Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield into a new gastro-pub concept called Old Speckled Hen.

The pub, which opens tomorrow, is serving home-cooked British food and has a real ale focus. The company has decided an informal pub concept is more suitable for the area than a seafood restaurant — the site was open as a Loch Fyne for just under two years.

Mark Derry, managing director of Loch Fyne Restaurants, told the Morning Advertiser​: "The property we have in Mere Green is ideal for conversion into our first Old Speckled Hen.

"We know that there is demand locally for good, honest pub food and we hope that we can create an ambience and a menu that will delight and surprise.

"This was the third site we opened around Birminham and the least good of the three. If a site isn't profitable it's a question of sorting it out.

"We thought we'd try something new. It's a one-off for the moment and we'll see how it goes."

Menu items are very keenly priced with starters £5 or less, main courses £10 or less, and desserts all £3. Main courses include braised rabbit with shallots and baby vegetables (£10), and chuck steak and Old Speckled Hen pie (£10).

On Sunday, the pub serves Old Speckled Hen ale soaked Gloucester Old Spot pork with crackling and apple sauce for £7 and traditional British beef with Yorkshire pudding, creamed horseradish and gravy for £7.

Greene King paid £68m to buy Loch Fyne in August 2007. At the time, Dresdner Kleinwort, the investment bank, said the average Loch Fyne outlet earns about £278,000 per annum.

Sample items from the menu:​

Starters:

Chefs stockpot soup with crusty brown bread: £3

Smoke Gressinham duck breast wit onion chutney £5

Main courses:​

Roasted butternut squash and sage risotto with Smoking Bishop cheese: £7

Cumberland lamb and black pudding tatie pot: £7

Desserts and cheese:​

British rhubarb crumble and custard: £3

Chocolate tart: £3