The newly named Shephall Tavern in Stevenage, has received a joint investment of £200,000 by leading community pub group, Admiral Taverns, and licensees, Jason and Fiona. This has resulted in an extensive renovation of the pub, with brand-new inside seating and a smart external look. Following the refurbishment, the Shephall Tavern has reopened and looks forward to welcoming customers from the surrounding communities.
Licensees Jason and Fiona have recently taken on the establishment and plan to transform it into a sophisticated, community hotspot. The pub, located in the heart of a densely populated residential area of the town, sits adjacently to a parade of shops and cafés. Jason and Fiona are aiming to create a friendly and accessible environment for all those living in and around Stevenage.
Licensee Jason Latchford commented: “We’ve both been in the pub industry for a long time and there’s nothing we haven’t seen and dealt – that’s partly what we love about it! You get to meet people from all over and become an integral part of their life. It’s very special and it’s why we keep doing what we do.”
Originally from Stevenage, Jason and Fiona are very experienced community pub operators with over 20 years of experience in the trade. They’ve been in charge of a number of different sites and currently have a tenancy in Colchester which is now being run by their family.
Jason added: “The ultimate goal at the Shephall Tavern is to create a family friendly, community pub catering for all occasions and all events. We currently host karaoke evenings every Friday evening and we have live music every Saturday night.”
One of the most popular aspects of the refurbishment is the spacious garden with seating and lighting to make it as comfortable and pleasant for customers all-year-round as possible. In addition to this, the pub also boasts a large function room, available for private hire, with Sky Sports, and a juke box.
To stay true to the community pub’s traditional roots, the licensees intend, when the time is right, to offer a small selection of good quality, handmade, locally sourced classic pub meals. Additionally, Jason and Fiona are keen to make the Shephall Tavern an epicentre for community life, so they plan on running coffee mornings for the locals. Throughout the morning and early afternoon customers will be able to relax after the school run and enjoy freshly made cakes, sausage rolls, paninis, teas and coffees.
The Shephall Tavern will also offer a large selection of drinks including artisan gins, rums and whiskeys. Jason and Fiona have also re-introduced cask ale and have had real ale engines installed on site, as well as a craft cider box station added to the bar inside.
Mick Sheridan, Admiral Taverns Business Development Manager, said: “There’s no doubt in my mind that Jason and Fiona are the perfect licensees for The Shephall Tavern. Their knowledge and expertise within the industry is immense, and if you combine that with their genuine passion for what they do, you can’t go wrong. They’re a fantastic addition to the Admiral family and I look forward to pub’s bright future.”
For more information on the pub, check out the brand new website:
https://www.theshephalltavern.
Throughout the pandemic, Admiral has taken a highly proactive and supportive approach towards its licensees, offering significant rent aid as well as specific reopening support, beer credits, online
training and support to access local authority grants.
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Notes to Editors
Admiral Taverns (“Admiral”), the UK’s number one community pub group. Headquartered in Chester; the Group operates a national estate of c.1,600 predominantly wet-led community pub. Admiral’s unique operational approach has earnt industry recognition with the Group awarded Best Leased and Tenanted Pub Company in 2019, 2016 and 2013 and ranked highly commended as Best Community Pub Operator in 2017. The Group has also been consistently highly rated by licensees in the industry’s independent annual Tenant Track survey, exceeding the scores of all its national peers.
Press release from Admiral Taverns
Contact: ispencer@houston.co.uk