Star Pubs & Bars and new licensees Ross Saunders and May Davies are beginning work this week on a £350,000 refurbishment to reopen The Two Brewers in Chelmsford after a six-week closure.
The investment will restore The Two Brewers to its former glory as an outstanding traditional pub and introduce great freshly prepared food. A little used function room will be transformed into a space for theatre and stand up comedy nights as well as community events and functions.
Work is expected to take two months with The Two Brewers scheduled to open its doors in early December.
Outside work will focus on carefully renovating and redecorating the Grade II listed building, which dates back to the sixteenth century. A new beer garden will also be created. Inside The Two Brewers will be refurbished throughout giving it a more contemporary look and a more comfortable feel. Traditional features such as the flagstone floors, exposed brickwork and beams and the pub snug will be kept and the fireplaces opened up and brought back into use.
The Two Brewers is Ross and May’s first pub. Ross, a chef with 20 years experience in the hospitality industry, previously owned a busy Italian restaurant in the Lake District whilst May’s background is in the arts, working in theatre, film and community arts projects for over 10 years. The couple have been looking for a pub in the South East for more than a year and say they fell in love with The Two Brewers and Chelmsford on their first visit. Says Ross, “It’s just what we were looking for. A beautiful old pub with lots of potential in the middle of a lively town centre. We want to use my cooking skills and May’s theatre experience to give The Two Brewers a new lease of life and Chelmsford a great traditional pub in the heart of the town once again.”
The couple are installing a new kitchen and pizza oven. Using his experience in Italian food, Ross promises Mediterranean dishes and stone based pizzas along side pub classics. An espresso machine is also being added.
Ross and May aim to put the pub on the map as the place for a complete night out. May will be booking theatre productions and comedians for the function room as well as opening up the space for local performers.
Tim Galligan, Star Pubs & Bars Operations Director, said: “We feel fortunate that such committed and creative licensees as Ross and May are taking on The Two Brewers as their own and working with us to revive its fortunes. Heineken is a passionate supporter of the great British pub and is investing in pubs like The Two Brewers to help them deliver excellent quality, attract customers and thrive at the heart of their communities for years to come.”
