‘We’ve brought the place into 2021’ - new look Clay Cross pub reopens

The George, on Clay Cross High Street, has had a major revamp from from lighting and windows to seating and flooring.

Co-owner Craig Murtagh said they had changed everything to turn the venue from a traditional drinking pub into a more refined country pub and restaurant.

He said: “We’ve had the Three Horseshoes on Market Street for just over eight years, so that’s your classic pub food served in a contemporary style, in a traditional English venue.

“With The George we wanted to offer something completely different - it’s small plates, tapas and craft beer in a fine dining restaurant- we’ve tried to create more of a dining experience.

“We’ve brought the place into 2021.”

While it is early days for The George, the response from customers has been overwhelmingly positive with all of the 18 Tripadvisor reviews ranking it as excellent.

Craig hoped the changes would give The George something unique something he said was crucial given the rate at which pubs are closing across the country.

“Hopefully it will stand out from other pubs in the area. The food has been really well-received already.

“The pub trade as it was is disappearing fast, which is such a shame, but people who want to stay in hospitality have to make it work in other areas – the only way to make it work now is to make yourself stand out from the crowd.”

Although the past 19 months have been challenging for the hospitality industry, Craig said the way his other pub bounced back following the full reopening of hospitality inspired him to open a second venue.

“It’s exciting, absolutely. Covid knocked us off our feet, as it did everyone, but we diversified and did takeaway food and we already had a really well-established business.

“We did better than ever once things reopened properly and it's stayed there to be honest, which gave us the confidence to do something else – it didn’t really frighten us to do something a bit different.”