Newbury town centre’s newest pub The Coat and Bear opens at 28 Bartholomew Street and aims to be ‘vibrant gathering place for the great and the good of Newbury’
Newbury’s newest town centre pub officially opened its doors to hungry and thirsty punters today (Tuesday).
The Coat and Bear, at 28 Bartholomew Street, was opened by Newbury mayor Andy Moore when he cut the ribbon at midday, something he said was a “real delight” to do.
The new pub – which is operated by the Heartwood Collection – aims to become one of the town’s premier eating and drinking establishments.
Heartwood Collection CEO Richard Ferrier said: “It has been a fantastic opportunity to create a new-build pub with rooms with a listed Georgian facade in the historic town of Newbury.
“With its elegant island bar, inviting nooks and charming rooms, we truly hope it will become a vibrant gathering place for the great and the good of Newbury for many years to come.”
At today’s opening event, guests were invited to tour the pub’s 26 bedrooms, sample its food and drink and meet the new team working at The Coat and Bear.
The pub was named in honour of local author Michael Bond’s beloved literary creation Paddington Bear as well as the famous Newbury Coat of 1811.
For the opening, a special Paddington-themed cocktail dubbed the ‘Marmalade Sandwich’ was on offer, made from Tiptree orange marmalade, Cointreau, Tanqueray Sevilla orange gin and lemon juice.
The Coat and Bear came to fruition after an extensive multi-million pound renovation project carried out by Heartwood.
The project included the restoration of the listed Georgian frontage and the transformation of the original office and retail buildings into a pub with an island bar, dining room and bedrooms.
The pub offers an a la carte menu featuring British pub classics that will change from season to season, with current autumnal offerings including an eight hour slow-cooked shoulder of Highland venison with Grand Veneur sauce, blackberries and mash or “Autumn Still Life”, a sweet tribute to autumn foraging in the woods.
Mr Ferrier said that “seasonality is a core part of our DNA as a business” and it is something central to Heartwood’s dedication to sustainability, a fact they have been recognised by with a three star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, the highest rating available.
To find out more about The Coat and Bear, visit https://coatandbearnewbury.com/