Hall & Woodhouse has confirmed that its new Beggarwood pub, The Holly Blue, will open to guests this September.
The leading independent regional brewer acquired the site last year and has invested more than £4million to create a landmark building in a fabulous setting, overlooking parkland.
Construction work on the site was temporarily paused during the UK lockdown, leading to a delay in the original opening schedule, and the pub is now due to open its doors in September. Mark James, Property Director at Hall & Woodhouse, commented: “Although we were aiming to welcome guests to The Holly Blue a little earlier, we are confident that the new pub will be well worth the wait. As a business, we are dedicated to bringing a beautiful pub to Beggarwood and provide guests with a hospitable and a quality experience for the whole community to enjoy safely.”
The Holly Blue’s name and design is centred around local heritage with a focus on Beggarwood Park’s butterfly ecology and biodiversity programme.
Mark added: “We spent a lot of time thinking about the pub’s connection with the local area and so naming it after one of the eye-catching butterflies inhabiting the local park, felt like a perfect fit. Guests will notice the butterfly and botanical theme that runs throughout the building, as well as links to local history and stories featured in the pub.”
Hall & Woodhouse commissioned Irish artist, Tonya Clifford, to make bespoke wire sculptures for the pub’s swing signs. The hand-made butterfly artwork took the artist 100 hours to complete and is made of 8,000 blue beads spanning across the wings that measure one metre in size.
Commenting on the interior of the pub, Mark said: “We want every guest to feel at home and safe in our pub. Therefore, it’s key that it is warm and welcoming – a special place that lifts the spirits when you walk in, where you can relax and enjoy yourself, safe in the knowledge that you will be well looked after. We have also implemented a number of measures, in light of the current times, to prioritise guests’ safety.
“Our teams have gone to great lengths to find and use reclaimed materials wherever possible throughout the build, to give The Holly Blue a traditional, yet unique feel.”
The Holly Blue features four key areas for guests to enjoy, including a relaxed ‘Badger’s Den’ complete with cosy nooks and crannies as well as a raised log burner where visitors can enjoy a cup of Colourful Coffee in the warmth.
The pantry is an informal space for drinking or casual dining which showcases hard-wearing and timeless limestone floors, as well as reclaimed timber features.
More formal dining takes place in a barn-style area, with high ceilings and impressive reclaimed brickwork. A large fireplace and chimney lined with old riding saddles belonging to current company steward, Mark Woodhouse, takes centre stage in the space.
In warmer months, guests will be able to enjoy a refreshing pint of Badger Beer in the pub’s sizeable veranda and garden.
Dan Putty, Hatchwarren and Beggarwood Conservative Councillor, said: “I am so delighted and excited for the opening of The Holly Blue. I am over the moon that residents will be able to enjoy such a wonderful and unique pub, with their friends and family.
“I thank Hall & Woodhouse for this much-needed landmark destination that will bring great joy to those living in and visiting the area.”