Pub to close for weeks during major revamp with sports bar and good food on way
A Kingswinford pub is set for a £280,000 makeover to broaden its appeal and keep it thriving for the long-term.
The investment at the only pub on the High Acres estate – The High Acres on Madeley Road – is being undertaken by Heineken-owned Star Pubs and Bars.
It will also see Stourbridge born-and-bred Sharon Billingham take the helm as the licensee.
The project will upgrade the tired pub into a family-friendly local, introduce good food and install a sports bar.
Work starts on Monday, October 17 and the pub will reopen in late November in time to participate in the High Acres Christmas light switch-on and to show England’s World Cup Match against Wales.
The overhaul will completely revamp the pub, making it more comfortable and contemporary.
The scheme will open up the interior, giving The High Acres a spacious open-plan lounge and dining area.
The new sports bar will have a pool table, darts and a high-spec AV system screening BT and Sky Sports.
With a shortage of function rooms locally, the smart new space will also serve as a function room for celebrations, ranging from birthday parties to christenings.
A kitchen refit will enable Sharon to bring in good quality but reasonably priced food focused on traditional pub favourites like fish and chips, burgers and steaks. Sunday lunches will also be served and children will have their own menu.
Sharon wants to put The High Acres on the map for its drinks, too. The installation of state-of-the-art dispense equipment in the cellar will ensure consistently perfect pints, and there will be a wide selection of premium wines and spirits. A new coffee machine will serve hot drinks throughout the day.
Sharon is also keen to make The High Acres a hub of the community. To that end, the pub will continue to support the High Acres Community Association and will run a full programme of events, including a weekly quiz, bingo night and regular entertainment to bring residents together. In addition, Sharon will open up the pub for meetings of local organisations and good causes and host social gatherings for groups such as senior citizens and new mums. She is also committed to starting up pool and darts teams and urges anyone interested in participating to get in touch.
Having worked in pubs in her late teens, Sharon left the industry for a job in the NHS whilst she raised her family but always dreamed of having a pub of her own one day before going back into hospitality two years ago.
“It’s fantastic to have found such a great pub so close to home. The High Acres is perfect – a friendly local in a lovely neighbourhood where everyone knows each other. The plans are really exciting; I can’t wait to open the doors and show residents their new-look pub. It’ll be The World Cup as well as the first Christmas without restrictions in three years, and we’ll be going all out to give the community an extra special time.”
Star Pubs and Bars’ area manager Thomas Timmons: “We’re delighted to be investing in The High Acres and working with Sharon to take it to another level. There’ll be lots more reasons to visit once the refurbishment is completed. The pub will have something for everyone and will cater for all occasions, whether people are after a family lunch, an afternoon coffee or a great night out.”
* The pub closes after last orders on Sunday, October 16.
