Great British Menu chef bids to transform closed pub
The Kickstarter project was launched last week (Friday 8 February) with the aim to reach a £60,000 target in 30 days to reopen the Chequers in Slaugham, West Sussex, which has been closed for the past two years – as the Heritage.
The campaign has already reached more than half of the target (£36,466) in less than a week, and investors can be rewarded with their names on the wall in the site to naming one of the guest bedrooms, dependent on their pledge.
Hospitality retreat
Gillan, who was awarded a Michelin star when at the Pass in Horsham, West Sussex, posted a video on the Kickstarter crowdfunding page where he said: “My name is Matt Gillan and this is my Kickstarter project – the Heritage. What I want Heritage to be, essentially, is a dining hospitality retreat. It’s not just a pub, it’s not just a restaurant, it’s not a bed and breakfast – it’s all those things.”
“Since I popped over, just to have a look at it, randomly came in, organised a meeting, I fell in love with this place.
“It’s huge, there’s so much potential. I just want this to be a special place for everyone, for guests and staff.”
He went on to outline exactly what the fundraising will be used for and the rewards investors can received.
Huge project
Gillan added: “Kickstarter funds are a small percentage we need to get this place done. We have got electrics to finish, walls to go up, walls to knock through.
“We need to totally redo the kitchen, redo the bar, finish the bedrooms, finish the hallways, redecorate everything.
“This is a huge project, it’s kind of insane really. The project, we think, is probably going to be about £300,000 to £350,000 so while the Kickstarter is going to be amazing, and it’s really going to help us forward, there’s still a bit of cash that we need to find.
“There are a couple of private investors as well so we are kind of on our way there but the Kickstarter will absolutely make sure we can do this project and open.”
