Bulldog Hotel Group re-opens ‘new generation' coaching inn after £1.3m refurb

06 June 2012 by
Bulldog Hotel Group re-opens ‘new generation' coaching inn after £1.3m refurb

Lincolnshire-based Bulldog Hotel Group has re-opened one of its six sites, the Talbot in Oundle, Northamptonshire, after a £1.3m investment.

The revamped site, which Bulldog acquired from Greene King in 2009, is being dubbed as a "new generation" coaching inn.

It took the company two years to get the necessary planning consents to remodel the Grade-I-listed venue, which opened at the weekend after an eight-month refurbishment.

In addition to accommodation, the site has a pub, restaurant and coffee shop, plus a serving counter that offers made-on-the-premises cakes, muffins and pastries.

Kevin Charity, who runs Bulldog, said: "The Talbot is now a coaching inn, eating house and coffee shop all in one. This particular venue has been in gentle decline for 20 years. But we think our investment puts it at the leading edge with a much wider, more flexible offer. The Talbot investment reflects our belief that coaching inns and pubs need to evolve to offer more. The business now has all sorts of facets to appeal to all sorts of people."

The Talbot has re-opened with 35 bedrooms, down from its previous figure of 40 after the creation of a number of larger suites. Bulldog Hotel Group changed its name from Bulldog Pub Company in February this year to reflect its current emphasis - it sold its wet-led pubs four years ago. It now plans to buy a seventh freehold coaching inn later this year.

The company's Greensleep booking portal, which pledges to plant a tree for every room booked, has now planted 50,000 trees.

By Neil Gerrard

E-mail your comments to Neil Gerrard here.

Tabletalk
Tabletalk
If you have something to say on this story or anything else join the debate at Table Talk - Caterer's new networking forum. Go to www.catererandhotelkeeper.com/tabletalk

Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs

Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs

Blogs on Catererandhotelkeeper.com ](http://www.catererandhotelkeeper.com/blogs) Catch up with more news and gossip on all Caterer's blogs
[E-newsletters](http://www.catererandhotelkeeper.com/email-newsletters.htm)[ For the latest hospitality news, sign up for our E-newsletters
The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking