A historic English pub has been given a new lease of life … and thrown a jobs and careers lifeline to countless young people.
The 14th-century Phoenix Tavern in Kent closed its two AA-rosetted kitchen six months ago although it remained open for drinks, with reduced hours.
It has now been acquired by award-winning UK chef Dev Biswal. He will open for drinks on 20 November and operate a full kitchen service from 1 December. The pub will also let a family room for overnight guests from the New Year.
News of the opening will come as a pleasant early Xmas surprise for locals.
The Phoenix Tavern is a characterful, historic pub located on picturesque Abbey Street in the market town of Faversham, in north Kent.
Occupying a stunning medieval hall house that dates back to around 1330, the tavern is highly regarded for its beautiful period features, original oak beams, and a roaring inglenook fireplace. It also boasts a spacious, enclosed walled garden decorated with wooden furniture, and colourful potted flowers.
The dog-friendly pub is known locally for hosting regular live music, community art classes, and local book clubs.
Chef Biswal’s innovative approach to contemporary Indian cuisine has earned recognition from national and international awards organisations, including Michelin. At his new venture, he will serve a modern gastropub interpretation of traditional English pub food alongside authentic Indian dishes, show-casing Kent’s wealth of local produce.
The project will create 12 new entry-level jobs for trainees with little or no experience in the hospitality sector.
With the prohibitive cost of a university education, with AI technology destroying many graduates’ employment prospects, Biswal is urging school and college leavers to consider a career in hospitality.
Biswal’s business partner, Frank Ward, will be the pub’s new landlord.
Ward said, “For ambitious, hard-working youngsters who are keen to learn, the opportunities and rewards are tremendous,” he said, adding; “International travel, working on private yachts, cooking in top ski resorts are all very real possibilities.
Biswal will use his training kitchen in Canterbury, where he gives regular cookery lessons, to teach kitchen skills.
Questioned as the wisdom of taking on a pub, when the news of full of doom and gloom about the hospitality sector, Biswal said; “It’s a good time to be negotiating with suppliers – there’s deals to be done – the UK is still the 5th richest economy in the world.”
While many independents are seeing a squeeze on margins, a fall in sales due to rising costs, and fewer customers, several large chains a reporting higher profits.
“A lot of pubs and restaurants are falling to control costs, said Biswal. A serial entrepreneur, who also leads the Odyssey Advisory Group restaurant consultancy business, Biswal offered: “When we take on a new client, we invariably identify immediate savings, usually running into the thousands, by eliminating waste and cutting unnecessary costs, without reducing the quality of the customer experience.”
Biswal is also the owner-chef of The Cook’s Tale (formerly The Ambrette) restaurant and Marrakesh Café in Canterbury.
info:
The Phoenix Tavern, 98 – 99 Abbey Street, Faversham, Kent ME13 7BH
