Warwickshire village pub reopens following major investment

A Warwickshire village pub which was closed during the pandemic has re-opened following a major investment and a grant from Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

The Lost Pug has become the sixth pub to join the dog-friendly Warwickshire-based bar and restaurant group which includes The Lazy Pug, The Royal Pug, The Fat Pug, The Micro Pug and The Black Pug.

Directors Matt and Alex Crowther took over the venue in January and have transformed the premises in Northend following a £50,000 refurbishment funded by the bar and restaurant group, and a £50,000 grant from the government's Rural England Prosperity Fund via Stratford-on-Avon District Council. 

A two-bedroom flat has been created above the pub which has been re-wired, re-decorated, and had CCTV and a fire system installed, while a commercial kitchen – four times the size of the original – is currently being fitted.

Planning permission has also been secured to create a 60-seat dining room with a glass wall to provide views of the countryside.

Seven jobs have already been created and another ten will follow when the dining room is completed, which is expected to be early in 2025.

"The villagers have been incredibly supportive of our venture," said Matt Crowther. "We had to do quite a few repairs when we took it over since a few of the ceilings had fallen through.

"We are currently open but only selling drinks, so we have been utilising our catering trailers on site which we take to events and festivals. We have been calling it Food Truck Fridays and we're providing different food each week.

"The kitchen is almost ready – we need to add the equipment and extraction units – and we're planning for this to be open before Christmas.

"We have permission for a 60-seater restaurant so we need to get on and build that once the kitchen is complete."

Crowther had initially contacted Nina Bale at the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub for support and, as well as putting him in touch with Stratford-on-Avon District Council, she arranged for a Warwickshire Business Energy Advice Service Energy Audit to be carried out.

Nina Bale said: "I had several conversations with Matt and the most productive was about the grant funding that was available from Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

"Matt thought he was unlikely to get funding but I encouraged him to apply because the forms were quite straight-forward and I thought he stood a good chance because he met all the criteria.

"This is a fantastic example of how the Growth Hub can help businesses throughout our area in a variety of sectors and locations."