Family-run pub, The Snooty Fox in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria has been given a £270k makeover by Ei Publican Partnerships, transforming it into a beautifully designed community local offering quality food, a large courtyard area for alfresco dining and newly refurbished boutique accommodation.
The Ledsham family, who are experienced and award-winning pub operators, have run The Snooty Fox for the past year and have been instrumental in planning and overseeing the refurbishment works.
The main pub area has been completely refurbished, with all listed building features, including the back bar panels, sympathetically retained and incorporated into the new stylish and chic design. New disabled toilet facilities have also been installed.
Tom Ledsham will oversee the front-of-house operations alongside his brother Ollie. The pair are passionate about quality drinks and will offer an extensive collection of 46 gins, 20 rums and many other premium spirits alongside a selection of quality beers, wines and soft drinks.
The food offering will comprise traditional pub food with a modern and twist ensuring the menu is accessible to all but the quality is superior. Dishes will include braised short rib, served with horseradish mashed potato, roasted shallots, honey roast carrots, port and thyme sauce.
The family, who have run pubs together in the past have won numerous accolades including The Lancashire Taste Awards Best Bed & Breakfast at a previous pub.
The Snooty Fox has nine letting rooms which have all been given a significant renovation to provide comfortable, modern accommodation. Phase two of the refurbishment project will see previously derelict flats which sat on the pub’s land being refurbished to become six quality bunk rooms, popular among climbers and cyclists who want simple, functional and affordable accommodation while trekking around the lakes. This is expected to be completed by October.
Also new to the pub is an extensive outside area, which is an asset lacking from many other venues in the area.
Tom Ledsham commented, “I’ve lived here all my life and when the opportunity arose to take on The Snooty Fox we jumped at it. We’ve worked closely with Ei Publican Partnerships to come up with a concept that will take it back to what it used to be – a welcoming community local for everyone in the area.”
Ei Publican Partnerships Regional Manager Mark Price said, “We use a ‘segmentation tool’ which helps us to identify what kind of pub local people want and need, and we found there was a gap for a quality but affordable venue in the area, which is what the Ledsham family were keen to provide. We’re absolutely delighted with its new look.
“The family is very well known in the area and they’re fantastic publicans so we’re very excited about the reopening and confident this will become a firm favourite for locals and visitors.”