THE owner of Isle of Skye Brewing Company will make his first move into the licensed trade this week when he reopens Glasgow pub The Griffin.
Kenny Webster, who also owns the Black Wolf Brewery in Throsk, Stirlingshire, bought the pub from former owner Oli Norman for an undisclosed sum.
The Griffin has been closed since March 2020. It will reopen later this week, following a £40,000 refurbishment by the new owner.
Webster, who bought Isle of Skye Brewing in 2013 and Black Wolf in 2019, aims to turn over £1 million at the pub within a year, doubling that to £2m by the end of year three.
“Being a brewer, it’s a natural fit to move into the licensed trade, but I wasn’t going to acquire any pub just for the sake of it,” he said.
“It had to be the right one and, when the Griffin became available, I knew that was it. It ticked all the boxes.
“The great charm of The Griffin is that it never changes. People continue to go there because, over the decades, it has retained the same welcoming mix of warmth, conviviality, and familiarity.
“Stars appearing at the King’s like it because it’s a home from home – somewhere they can go for a quiet drink after their show and enjoy themselves without being harassed or hassled.
“We never considered changing that winning formula – all we have done is to refresh its appearance.
“When you take over a venue that’s as iconic as The Griffin, you feel a responsibility to respect people’s feelings for the place and to exceed their expectations. We’re confident we’ve done that.”
