Fat Cat opens two gastropubs

The Fat Cat Group has opened two gastropubs.

The 11-strong Derby-based company, founded by Matt Saunders and Simon Paterson, has opened the Crown Inn in Anstey, in Leicestershire, and the Queens Head, in Frodsham, Cheshire.

The openings are a move away from the style of its other sites, the Fat Cat Café Bars, which are based in town centres and have a strong student following.

The Crown Inn features an open kitchen with a daily-changing lunch and dinner menu featuring local, seasonal produce. The bar offers six cask ales and over 20 British gins.

Afternoon tea is served every day at both sites and a "seven before seven" offer runs every Monday to Friday evening, offering customers the opportunity to sample dishes for £7 when ordered before 7pm.

The sites are also holding events such as wine matching and ladies' suppers.

The Queens Head is offering an opening promotion of 50% off food all day Monday to Wednesday.

The menu at the Queens Head features Conwy mussels cooked in bacon, leek & organic cider (£5.95); deep fried whitebait with homemade garlic mayonnaise (£4.95) and devilled kidneys & wild mushrooms on toast (£6.50).

Also on offer are dishes such as salmon Kiev, roasted new potatoes, green beans & lemon mayonnaise; chicken bourguignon with bubble & squeak cake (£10.50); fish pie, Long Clawson cheese crust and minted winter greens (£10.95).

Desserts include Orchard fruit crumble with proper vanilla bean custard (£4.95) and bread & butter pudding, with stewed plums and thick custard (£4.95).

The group has 11 city-

centre bars and restaurants in the Midlands and North Wales. It was founded in 1992 in Bangor in North Wales by entrepreneurs Matt Saunders and Simon Paterson, who studied together at the town's university.