Star Pub’s £3million Scottish investment programme continues apace, with the announcement of a £280,000 revamp at the Category A listed Joseph Pearce pub in the centre of Edinburgh.
The investment in the site, which is on Elm Row near the Edinburgh Playhouse, will see it become Star’s fourteenth Just Add Talent managed operator pub in Scotland.
Local resident and regular Paul Henderson – who has been working in the social care sector for the past 18 years – is to take charge of this refurbished ‘quality local’ on behalf of Star Pubs under a JAT management contract.
The outside works at Joseph Pearce will renovate the frontage of the pub while preserving its distinctive windows and signage. Its alfresco area will be improved with smart furniture, café-style barriers and new planting.
Star’s makeover promises to ‘completely refurbish the tired interior’, incorporating bold colours, plush fabrics and decorative wallpaper and lighting.
The all-new furniture will range from vintage pieces to deep button-backed banquette seating and booths. A lounge dining area at the rear will be available for private functions and parties.
A kitchen refit will enable a refreshed menu at Jospeh Pearce, featuring gyros, small plates and burgers as well as pub favourites like Mac & Cheese and steak & ale pie.
As a neighbourhood local, Joseph Pearce will also be putting on more activities, continuing its well-established quiz alongside a new programme of entertainment and social nights that will launch in the autumn.
Whilst Star Pubs’ managed operator model is widespread in England and Wales, it is still relatively uncommon in Scotland.
“With an ingoing cost of £4000 – of which £3000 is a refundable deposit – the low-cost, low-risk JAT agreement is ideal for newcomers to the industry as well as experienced hospitality staff who want to become self-employed publicans,” said Star.
Under the Just Add Talent model, operators contract with Star to provide management services to run a pub of their choice in return for a weekly fixed revenue percentage and an uncapped quarterly 20% profit share.
Operators are self-employed and only fund staff wages and employee liability insurance. Star Pubs sets the pub’s consumer offer and pays for all the operating costs including utilities, business rates and food and drink stock.
New publican Henderson was seeking a career change into hospitality when he spotted that Joseph Pearce was looking for a new operator. He said: “I’d looked at all kinds of businesses including pubs, cafés and B&Bs, but everything was out of reach in terms of the upfront money required.
“I didn’t know managed operator pubs existed until the Joseph Pearce was advertised or I’d have gone this route much sooner. It’s affordable and comes with incredible support. It feels like a calling and that the stars have aligned in enabling me to operate my local.
“The Joseph Pearce is a fantastic pub with loads of potential that the investment will bring out.”
Star Pubs operations director for Scotland, Matt Dyson, added: “We’re delighted to be investing in such a prominent, well-known pub. Our Just Add Talent pubs whilst sharing similar elements, are tailored to their locality.
“Joseph Pearce is no exception – our aim is to create a stylish neighbourhood pub that caters for the local community and visitors to Edinburgh alike.
“There’s a real appetite for managed operator style pubs in England and Wales due in part to the uncertainty created by rising overheads and the cost-of-living crisis but they’re still quite a novelty in Scotland. We’re hoping to launch more and have some exciting sites earmarked with refurbishments attached.”
Around 220 pubs operate on Star Pubs’ Just Add Talent model UK-wide, of which 13 are in Scotland.
