Chris and Simon Leahy, owners of Cassiel Bar and Kitchen, plan to open Raph’s Bar and Grill in a former NatWest bank across the street from their existing facilities.
The premises are ready to be conditioned after the completion of a reform project that has involved the incorporation of specialized equipment and equipment to convert a vault into a basement.
Chris Leahy said: “The builders had to drill five holes between the bar and the basement, but the walls were about two and a half feet thick with a couple of metal plates as well. They burned three bits, but in the end we got there. “
The brothers grew up in Cottingham and are from a family with strong connections to licensed trade.
His father, Terry Leahy, and his wife Shirley ran the Tiger in Cottingham from 1977 to 1991. They then took over the Blue Bell for 12 years in 1992, with Terry’s children living in the first-floor apartment as they embarked on their own careers. . Simon in IT and Chris in Security Systems before moving on to Property and Facilities Management.
Cassiel’s opening in August 2020 created around 14 jobs and despite the impact of the closings, Chris and Simon decided to go ahead with phase two of their plans.
They are going through the licensing process now and plan to open Raph’s Bar and Grill in September, serving drinks, homemade pizza, and custom-made steaks, with regular live music and space for up to 60 customers.
The project is expected to create an additional 14 jobs and will follow the approach taken at Cassiel, using local merchants to retrofit the new building and install a new glass facade.
Simon Leahy said: “Cassiel and Raph’s Bar aim to bring something new to Cottingham. They are named after the archangels Cassiel and Raphael and are different from the pubs we have grown up with in town.
“This is not about competing with other places in Cottingham or with ourselves. We see people leaving Cottingham to visit cafes elsewhere in the Hull area and we want to create something that encourages them to explore their own town. We are promoting the local circuit.
“At Cassiel we have also attracted a more diverse clientele than you would normally find in pubs. It has been a struggle due to Covid, but we have had positive comments and great reviews about the food, drink and atmosphere. It’s different and people like it. “
Chris added: “Nothing is risk free and we have taken a little risk but we think there is a lot of business in Cottingham, it is said to be the largest town in England, and as restrictions are eased customers will have more confidence and business will increase. ” .
“The biggest challenge we face right now, like the rest of the hospitality industry, is recruiting and retaining staff, but we are optimistic and hope that the quality of our offering and our work environment will attract people. looking for work. in an industry that has a bright future. “
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Source: www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-06-11 09:19:01
