Lion all set for a roaring trade – Lion and Star
The Antonine in Kirkintilloch, Glasgow, has been impressively transformed into a family-friendly food pub after undergoing a £325k refurbishment and being renamed The Lion and Star.
The pub, which was taken on by a local pub operator, is named after the town’s two former foundries, The Lion and The Star, which made the famous red telephone box.
The venue, located at 26 Townhead, serves a selection of tea and coffee, as well as a menu of classic pub favourites such as homemade burgers, top quality steaks, macaroni, risotto and fresh fish and chips at affordable prices, with produce sourced locally.
The refurbishment works, carried out for Star Pubs and Bars, included a complete overhaul of the interior and exterior of the 1970s building to bring it up to date, creating a light modern pub with a warm and welcoming décor and full-length foldaway glass doors to bring the outside in during warmer months.
Tiles, wood and sea grass were used for flooring and the walls feature a mixture of finishes including timber, brick slips and wallpaper.
The layout of the pub was reconfigured into single level open plan with booths and freestanding tables and chairs. There are also comfortable sofas creating a relaxed area for coffee and drinks and a new bar, which makes the interior look more spacious.
As part of the refurbishment HEINEKEN installed the latest beer dispense technology, the HEINEKEN Smart Dispense system, which produces consistently superior quality beer and cider. The Lion and Star is the only pub in town with this technology.
The licensees also introduced a loyalty app scheme for customers to download from their website which enables customers to swipe their phone to benefit from food, drink and coffee offers.
Food is freshly prepared by a team of highly trained chefs. Ingredients are sourced locally wherever possible and all fresh products on the menu are Scottish, from the beef in the burgers to the fish in the fish pie.
According to the local pub operators who are running the new venue: “We’re excited to have taken on the Lion and Star and add to the increasing number of quality food and drink outlets which have started to appear in the town centre over the last 18 months.
“The new look pub enhances the top end of the High Street and by combining affordability, quality and introducing special meal offers, will appeal to the new families and young professionals moving to Kirkintilloch.
Star‘s Trading Director, Chris Jowsey, said: “We were delighted to invest in The Lion & Star, and to help transform the pub’s fortunes, secure its long term future and improve the town centre environment.”
The pub re-opened in February, creating 25 new jobs.
As part of HEINEKEN, Star Pubs and Bars really understand the British consumer and can draw on the wealth of knowledge and the insights that this brings.
This confidence and business acumen has led to a recent investment of £600 million in the company’s portfolio of pubs. This commitment, combined with their support services and their lessees’ enthusiasm contributes to the fact that the company’s pubs have a turnover that’s amongst the highest in the UK.
What’s more a recent survey showed that average turnover across Star Pubs and Bars pubs grew by 11% compared to the previous year.
