Longshot, the business led by entrepreneurs Joel Cadbury and Ollie Vigors, is set to relaunch the Bel & The Dragon chain, with the re-opening of its Cookham site and plans to grow to an estate of 10 soon thereafter.
The group, which also includes sites in Godalming, Reading and Windsor, is set to benefit from a seven-figure investment that Longshot believes will restore it to its former glories as a premium Country Inn chain and ultimately through the addition of new sites a £100m business.
The highest proportion of the new investment has been made at the Cookham site, which will re-open today (16th May). The site has 80 covers inside and a further 40 covers in its garden to the rear. It will also feature eight bedrooms, with plans to open build a cottage with letting rooms at the rear of the restaurant, subject to planning.
The restaurant’s menu will be overseen by Ronnie Kimbugwe, former head sous chef at Claridges and will feature the best seasonal and local produce.
Longshot has also invested £100,000 in converting and stocking a wine cellar at the restaurant with the finest vintage wines. The house wine will be served in magnums and allow customers to pay for what they drink.
Work on converting the Bel in Reading has already started, including the restoration of its adjacent boat, which will house a further 60-cover and accommodation for employees.
The site on an old biscuit factory is expected to re-open in June.
Windsor is earmarked to open in August and will feature the addition of a tearoom to attract the significant number of tourists, which visit the town all year round.
The company, which finally acquired the chain from the Orchid Group in September 2010 for a reported sum in the region of £4m, will then move on to the Godalming site, which is housed in an old church.
Once the investment project is complete the company is expected to look at adding further sites to the chain, with locations between Chichester on the south coast and Oxford coming under consideration.
Cadbury said he would like to expand the business to 10 sites very quickly.
He told M&C Report: “This was once a great chain with strong history and heritage but it had been totally run down. We are carrying out a sensible seven-figure sum investment, which will eventually produce a chain of quality coaching inns offering a high level menu using the best seasonal, local produce and an unparalleled wine list.
“Bel & The Dragon is about having a quality experience in great locations with real character. We are very excited about the potential of the company, which we believe can become a £100m business.”
As well as The Groucho Club, Cadbury and Vigors are former owners of Third Space, the London health and fitness club.
They made their name in the sector owning a clutch of eating and drinking venues in West London, such as The Admiral Codrington, The Salisbury Tavern and Vingt-Quatre.
