Major £320,000 Revamp To Transform And Reopen Greatham Village Pub After 11-Month Closure

County Durham-based pub operators Scott Standing and Danielle Creswell are to reopen The Hope & Anchor pub in Greatham following an 11-month closure. The couple and HEINEKEN-owned Star Pubs are together investing £320,000 to create a fantastic family- and dog-friendly community pub offering sports, entertainment and top-quality food worth travelling for. Building work starts on 12th October, with the pub reopening in early November. Ten jobs will be created as a result of the investment.

Scott and Danielle want The Hope & Anchor to host local society gatherings and charity events and to become the beating heart of village life, as well as broaden its appeal to those living further afield by offering a great menu. The pub will open seven days a week from 12pm to 11pm, with food served until 8pm.

Their plans for The Hope & Anchor include a quiz, interactive darts with the opportunity to play people from around the world, pool and darts matches, regular live music and, once the pub is up and running, a quiz night. There will also be car boot sales in the pub’s large car park, local markets and a range of activities throughout the year, including Christmas wreath-making classes.

Says Scott: “Both of us were brought up in the area and feel passionately that towns and villages need pubs to bring people together and keep communities alive and thriving. So, we’re excited to be opening another pub in the area, one that Greatham residents can easily walk to, and to be creating local jobs, supporting the area and its residents.

“We want to give people somewhere nice to go out and socialise with family and friends and reasons to do so. We also want to reach out to local groups and offer them a warm welcome, including weekly meal deals. We’d be delighted to host coffee mornings and charity fundraisers, so please do get in touch. We’ve already been approached by darts and football teams, which is fantastic and very encouraging.

“I always loved the idea of working behind a bar as I enjoy interacting with the public. I took a detour first, joining the Marines as a youngster. However, that instilled in me confidence, discipline and focus, which is what enabled me to arrive where I am today.”

The investment will take The Hope & Anchor to a whole new level, with a top-to-toe redecoration and capacity increasing to 48 inside and 32 outside. In the lounge, the seating will be a mix of deep-buttoned teal blue leather fixed benches and freestanding wooden and upholstered chairs. The walls will feature botanical wallpaper, and the ceiling will be painted in deep, warm shades, creating a welcoming, cosy atmosphere.

The bar front is being repainted in a deep green, with green and white floor tiles surrounding it and crackle-glaze metro-style tiles used for the back bar.

In the bar itself, the original panelled walls will be retained. There will be a mix of low and high stools, leather-covered banquettes and tub-style chairs. Local bric-a-brac, pendant-style lighting and a new herringbone carpet will complete the look.

A new interactive darts board with electronic scoring is being installed in the bar, along with a pool table and three high-definition TVs located throughout the pub showing Sky and TNT Sports.

The toilets will also be upgraded, with new sanitary ware, a vanity unit, flooring and a feature mirror in the Ladies’, while the Men’s will be redecorated with new flooring added.

Outside, the pub will be repainted in teal blue with white windows, and new signage will be added. The decking to the rear of the pub is being replaced and will have barrel-style furniture and festoon lighting. A mural is also being painted, and wooden, repurposed canoe planters will be installed to continue the pub’s nautical theme.

As part of the refurbishment, new kitchen equipment is being fitted to enable the pub to upgrade the food offering at The Hope & Anchor.

The menu will feature pub classics with a touch of fine dining, including fish and chips, gastro-quality burgers and roast duck, as well as a cracking Sunday lunch.

Says Star Pubs Business Development Manager, Matt Simpson: “The Hope & Anchor is a lovely-looking Georgian building that needed investment to give it a new lease of life. It now has this and a great team taking it forward.

“I am delighted Scott and Danielle are taking on The Hope & Anchor. Between them, they have 10 years’ hospitality experience, including running two of their own pubs. They have done a great job with The Fens nearby, turning it around and doubling footfall in six months. I fully expect them to do the same with The Hope & Anchor.”

The refurbishment of The Hope & Anchor Inn is part of a £44.5m investment that HEINEKEN UK is making this year to upgrade and reopen pubs.