Openings

Village expansion

Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprises is to open 20 Village Inn pubs across the UK over the course of the next year. It is investing £3.5m in the expansion project, which will bring its number of Village Inns to 28.

Revolution spinoffs

A Revolution vodka bar is to open in Clapham, London, at the end of May. The 3,500sq ft site will be the 25th Revolution in the UK. Owner Inventive Leisure plans to open five more before the end of 2002, in Cambridge, Northampton, Reading, Lancaster and Bradford.

Druidical debut

Marriott's first hotel in Ireland, the Druids Glen Marriott Hotel and Country Club, opened last week (8 April). The 137-bedroom hotel is on the site of the 400-acre Druids Glen golf resort, 20 miles south of Dublin, and is owned by franchisee Obalus Hotel Company. Nuala Cashman is the general manager.

Gockett money

The Gockett pub in Monmouthshire, Wales, is due to open as an 80-seat restaurant and bar in mid-July. New owners Bryan and Susan Webb are investing £150,000 in renovating the property over the next three months. The Webbs formerly owned Hilaire restaurant in South Kensington, London. The Gockett will serve modern British cuisine and a meal will cost around £35.