Managed pub and bar operator TCG is starting 2015 with two major capital investment projects, including a £1.5m refurbishment of the Tattershall Castle (above), the company’s flagship floating bar and restaurant in London.
Also in line for a New Year facelift is the Golden Fleece, Chelmsford, where a £100,000 capex investment will see improvements to the pub’s live music offer with an extended stage area, as well as new informal seating to support a revamped food and drink range
Tattershall Castle – the ‘Tatts on Tour’
The refurbishment of the Tattershall Castle is one of the most significant investment projects undertaken by TCG. Having pulled up the gangplank after New Year’s Eve, the ‘Tatts’ will leave its iconic berth on the Embankment in mid-January to be towed down the Thames initially to Gravesend, and from there by sea tow to dry dock in Hull.
The voyage marks a return for the Tatts to the region of its birthplace, having been built in West Hartlepool in 1934 by William Gray & Company for the London & North Eastern Railway Company. The 80-year-old vessel’s journey to Hull and back, as well as the six-week refurbishment, will be reported online and via social media using the ‘Tatts on Tour’ logo and hashtag.
When the Tatts returns to its London mooring in April, it will have a brand new look inside and out. Customers will be able to book ‘cabins’ – new private booths in the main lounge – in advance for drinks and meals. The much-improved Club Room will continue to host the popular live stand-up Comedy Boat Show, with improved facilities for the performers, more areas for private parties, and plans to apply for a licence to perform weddings and civil ceremonies. The popular on-deck barbecue will be enhanced to reflect the latest menu trends.
Nigel Wright, chief operating officer of TCG, said, “The Tatts is a London landmark, known around the world, and we’re delighted that this upgrade will improve and extend the facilities on-board and further enhance its place at the heart of the London social scene.”
The Golden Fleece
The Golden Fleece in Chelmsford will close for a two-week refurbishment on 5 January. As part of the £100k project, the pub’s stage area will be extended, enabling the Fleece to expand its popular live music programme.
Along with improved lighting and new floor finishes throughout, a new informal seating area will be added, providing more dining covers. The improvements will allow the pub to continue to build on its reputation for cask ales and add an expanded range of craft beers, real cider and wine, as well as a new, authentic pub food menu including a range of home-cooked pies.
Wright said, “The Golden Fleece is a great, broad-based community pub. We invested a significant sum in 2013 in improving the outdoor area to make it the best beer garden in Chelmsford, and improved the toilet facilities in 2014. This final stage of the project will further expand the offer for regulars as well as extending the pub’s appeal to more customers.”
Wright added, “We are currently undertaking a strategic review of the development opportunities within the TCG estate, as part of our continuing goal of making our pubs and bars the best in their localities.”
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