Mercury eyes Irish pubs

A new pub chain, called the Dublin Pub Company, is being rolled out by Staffordshire-based Mercury Group.

The first outlet, Brennans, opened at Perth, near Edinburgh, a month ago. And on 13 September a second pub, Fibber McGees, opens in Birmingham.

The concept features all-day food served in a traditional Irish pub setting, with scrubbed floorboards, etched windows and wood furnishings.

Mercury has a number of sites under development for the chain, including one in Cardiff. The new chain will be run separately from the 130-strong Mercury Taverns division.

In a separate move, Glendola Leisure, part of the Foundation Group, is also opening its first Irish pub. Waxy O'Connor's starts trading on 4 October at a 9,000sq ft site near London's Leicester Square, costing £1m to develop.