Surrey Pub Provides First Home for New Smokehouse Concept

April 28, 2014

Smokes and Grills, the new gastro-pub concept serving an American inspired barbecue menu, has secured its first site after Davis Coffer Lyons – the leisure specialists – completed the off-market sale of the Duke of Wellington in East Horsley, Surrey on behalf of a private individual for an undisclosed sum. The aspiring chain plans to open another five Smokes and Grills pubs over the next three years in similar rural locations with plans to subsequently look to move into London.

Smokes and Grills is the brainchild of former Large Bars Founding Director Lee Bradshaw and his new business partner Glyn Roberts. The pub will undergo an extensive renovation to create the first of six Smokes and Grills pubs and will be renamed ‘The Duke of Wellington. Pub, Smokehouse and Rooms’. The décor will be an eclectic mix of the old, new with a few eccentricities. Reclaimed and up-cycled finishes and touches will be included as well as beautiful fixtures and fittings sourced from antiques markets and curiosity shops.

The pub will serve a menu centred around smoked and barbecued dishes including briskets, shoulder of pork, burnt ends and really top-end burgers accompanied by some more traditionally British dishes. In order to create an authentic smoky taste two American smoking ovens have been imported from the US and all food will be prepared to the highest standards using only the freshest ingredients. There will also be an extensive wine list, available by the glass or carafe and a comprehensive premium spirit range and a considered cocktail list.

The pub is located in a prominent position and set in the Surrey Hills with an affluent catchment. As well as the new restaurant on the ground floor there will be nine en suite rooms arranged around a courtyard in the former stables, which will offer bed and breakfast.

Lee Bradshaw, said: “Smokes and Grills will bring strong London values to the home counties, with a cutting edge menu, a high quality and innovative drinks offer and some real standards when it comes to service. We are extremely happy that The Duke of Wellington will be our first operating venue and will be working tirelessly to create the best pub experience for the people of East Horsley.”

Chris Bickle, Associate Director at Davis Coffer Lyons said: “Knowing Lee and Glyn’s operation and their plans to set up a group of pubs, we felt the Duke of Wellington would be the perfect location for the first Smokes and Grills. The pub is a very distinctive and well known landmark building, benefitting greatly from a wide and affluent catchment. The smokehouse offering is very popular at the moment and will be a fresh approach to compliment the areas established dining pubs”.