The Rupert Brooke in Grantchester has opened, just six months after being acquired by Chestnut Inns and almost a year to the day since owner Philip Turner opened the very first Chestnut Inns pub – The Packhorse Inn, Moulton near Newmarket.
The Grantchester pub has been totally renovated and revitalised to reflect the Chestnut Inns’ operating ethos – locally sourced food, great service and a traditional role at the heart of the community.
Selected for its great location in Grantchester, with its rural, historic and literary links and yet within walking distance of central Cambridge, the revitalised site features an open plan kitchen, a newly established conservatory dining room, an extensive bar area and an upper floor private dining “Club Room” with access to roof terraces. The gardens overlooking the Grantchester Meadows and the footpath to Cambridge will be restored for next spring.
The Rupert Brooke is managed by Paul Wicker who, following a first career in the Royal Navy & Royal Marines, has since 2005 specialised in hospitality management. Paul has been greatly assisted in re-launching The Rupert Brooke by the established team at its sister pub The Packhorse Inn.
The décor has benefitted from the creative eye of the owners’ wife Amanda, who really appreciates the Cambridge market from the days when she used to have her own shoe shop in the town, Amanda Green Shoes. Amanda has created an urban “Edwardian” ambience with oak flooring, a copper-topped bar, decadent chocolate coloured sofas and several pieces of taxidermy including what is evolving as the Chestnut Inns’ “must have” accessory – a boar’s head.
The menu reflects Executive Chef Chris Lee’s signature pub classics but with a modern twist such as game shepherd’s pie with smoked potato; warm chicken Caesar salad with anchovy & bacon and braised collar of ham served with duck’s egg and chips. Customers can expect subtle flavours, complementary textures and dish combinations that have long been associated with The Packhorse’s 3AA Rosette chef. The Bar is well stocked with a wide selection of fine wines, real ales and keg beers.
Amazing year for Chestnut Inn and The Packhorse Inn
Owner Philip Turner is in a confident mood for this second opening:
“It has been the most amazing year for Chestnut Inn and its first business The Packhorse Inn. In the last couple of months we’ve won “Best Food Pub” for the East in The Great British Pub Awards; The Sunday Times highlighted us as one of 10 pubs or “boutique boozers” in its Ultimate 100 British hotels feature; Sawday’s named us one of its three “Favourite Newcomers” and to top it all, The Packhorse Inn was awarded 3AA Rosettes – putting us in the top 3 restaurants for Cambridgeshire and Suffolk according to the AA.
“To open our second business The Rupert Brooke on such a wave of success is really exciting. Of course it is going to be different to The Packhorse Inn but we have high expectations that it will prove a winner to both locals and visitors to Grantchester.”
For more information about The Packhorse Inn click here
Defying pigeon-holing
Chestnut Inns was established in May 2012 by former banker and corporate financier Philip Turner, with the vision to create a family of hostelries under the Chestnut umbrella, which defy pigeon-holing into the standard classifications of pub, hotel or restaurant, but is simply synonymous with a great experience. Key to its development strategy is identifying freehold sites in the region, which as a result of under capital investment, are not delivering their full potential. Chestnut Inns raises capital to fund purchasing and refurbishing these sites under the Government sponsored Enterprise Investment Scheme.
The Rupert Brooke, 2-4 Broadway, Cambridge, CB3 9NQ
For mor information about The Rupert Brooke click here