Manchester and Birmingham based Green Salmon Pubs Ltd has taken on its first site with Star Pubs & Bars, The Greyhound in Boothstown, Worsley, which reopens this weekend as Coal & Cotton following a £750k plus joint refurbishment.
This latest opening, which has created 30 jobs, brings the group's estate to three sites, the other pubs being the Cock N Bull.Co in Stourbridge and Cock N Bull.Co in Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield.
Run by former managing directors of The Restaurant Group, Jason Green and David Salmon, the company has plans for further expansion, looking to grow its Midlands and North West estate to 12 pubs in the next five years.
Green said, “We’re delighted with the look of Coal & Cotton, a new concept we’re developing to sit alongside our Cock N Bull.Co brand, which will allow us to grow more quickly. Working with Star Pubs & Bar on this venture we’ve been impressed by their slick operation and professionalism.”
The former wet-led local community pub has been transformed into a top-quality neighbourhood local with a micro gin distillery incorporated into the bar.
Unlike anything else in the area, the dog friendly pub has retained its community focus whilst broadening its appeal to young professionals and the growing numbers of young families moving to the area.
The striking interior now has a fresh indoor-outdoor feel to it with a lit living tree in the dining area, together with suspended lighting and foliage, botanical inspired shelving and timber clad walls and glazed timber screens. A brick clad wall with ghost writing, washed plank and flagstone flooring, and a mix of timber and metal tables and chairs and rustic bench seating complete the look.
The lounge bar has a similar laid back feel with exposed brick walls, wood clad ceiling, window seats with loose cushions, a retro leather and metal sofa and an open fire. Eclectic Manchester bric-a-brac add to the ambience.
The rustic timber floor planks are carried through into the bar which has wall mounted benches with projecting metal lights and aged textured wall tiles as well as a timber wall with drinks shelf.
Outside Coal & Cotton has been given a complete overhaul, with the exterior frontage in brick with a khaki render on the side of the pub featuring a mural of a canary and cotton flowers. The external layout has also been reconfigured to create a fantastic beer garden with seating for 100 for alfresco eating and drinking and jumbo outdoor games to entertain children.
The pub’s menu is based on fresh home cooked British classics done well with some worldwide influences. Stone-baked pizzas are a speciality, made with the pub’s own dough, as well as its home-made pies and fish dishes like mussels and masaman curried cod and fantastic Sunday roast.
Also available are barista-style coffees and afternoon teas and a signature gin-based afternoon tea. Further down the line the pub will open for breakfast and brunch.
In addition to a comprehensive selection of beers, craft ales and wines, there’s an innovative range of 15-20 cocktails made with premium spirits and fresh ingredients and stunning gins from the 50 litre copper still including Boothstown Gin – the house gooseberry based and botanical gin. And for those customers who would like to, there will be gin tasting and gin master classes in the New Year.
The modern pub will have live music playing every Friday evening.
Green added, “Living in the area I believe there is demand for a great local pub like this, that creates that something special. Before we’ve even opened the doors, we have had well over 2000 bookings from people wanting to come and eat with us.”
Charlie Gale, Star Pubs & Bars Investment Manager, said, “Boothstown is growing in popularity – with a new fast bus route into the centre of Manchester and new housing estates being built, it is crying out for a pub like Coal & Cotton.
'It’s a stunning pub now, unlike anything else in the area, and with an experienced team like Jason and David driving it forward and Jason in walking distance of his new local, I am sure it will be a great success. We wish them well and look forward to helping them realise their ambitions.”
