The Coach and Horses, in Priestpopple, Hexham, has reopened following a transformational £700,000 investment. Owned by community pub company Admiral Taverns, The Coach and Horses has received the company’s biggest investment in Admiral’s history to date, in partnership with Northumberland County Council and Historic England. This phenomenal, combined investment has breathed a new lease of life into the pub, enabling an extensive interior and exterior refurbishment.
Alongside Admiral Taverns’ and the licensee’s – Fiona Beck – total investment of £460,000 the pub was awarded £240,000 by Northumberland County Council and Historic England through the Hexham High Streets Heritage Action Zone scheme (HSHAZ). The aim of the scheme is to revitalise the town’s historic centre making it a more attractive, engaging and vibrant place for people to live, work, invest and visit.
Licensee, Fiona Beck is a passionate operator with 30-years of experience in the hospitality industry, both working in and running pubs. Around six and a half years ago, Fiona took on her first pub with Admiral Taverns, The County Hotel in Hexham and has created a sophisticated, destination pub and hotel for locals and tourists to enjoy. Following her success, she is keen to create somewhere that perfectly compliments The County Hotel and to foster a friendly local where everyone feels welcome and fantastic service is a given.
Fiona Beck, Licensee at The Coach and Horses, said: “I have loved every minute of running The County Hotel with Admiral Taverns so when the opportunity to take over The Coach and Horses came up, I couldn’t refuse it! It had always been my dream to become my own boss and run my own pub so the fact I now run two incredible Hexham pubs is fantastic. I am so excited to re-establish its presence within the area and showcase its refreshed look to new and existing customers.”
Admiral Taverns’ Business Development Manager, Stephen Birkett, commented: “We are absolutely delighted with the refurbishment of The Coach and Horses. It looks fantastic! It’s been a pleasure working alongside Northumberland County Council and Historic England and supporting Fiona to bring her vision come to life. I have no doubt that she is the perfect licensee to take the pub forward, a cornerstone of her community and she has really bought people together. We wish her the best of luck and can’t wait to see what the future holds for this brilliant local pub.”
Jules Brown, from Historic England, said: “Grants are available to help renovate and restore some key historic buildings, which help to give Hexham such a strong sense of place and character. It’s great to see the funding being used to bring buildings like The Coach and Horses back to life, so they can be used and enjoyed by local people and visitors alike.”
