South Yorkshire pub operators Simon Woodcock and Richard Hepplestone are taking the lease on their sixth pub as they build a ten-site property in the area. Ecclesfield’s Black Bull is the duo’s second venture with Star Pub. Closed for more than a year, it will reopen at the end of July, creating ten new jobs following a £198,000 investment by the Star.
With the renovation, The Black Bull turns into a family-friendly premium venue with a beautiful garden, its own games room and a varied entertainment program.
The renovation completely renews the exterior of the distinctive pub and develops a 40-seat sheltered garden with a big screen for watching sports. The internal makeover updates The Black Bull with a stylish exterior sympathetic to the traditional old stone pub but with contemporary design details. To cater for the whole community, the pub has three distinct zones – a comfortable carpeted floor, a spacious bar and one of the best games areas in the area, complete with pool table, darts and Sky Racing shows. , Racing TV and Sky and TNT Sports.
Woodcock and Hepplestone’s business model is focused on local residents specializing in sports and entertainment, and The Black Bull is following suit. Activities range from sports shows and darts and pool teams to live music, DJs, quizzes and bingo. As with other venues, trade is expected to be predominantly wet, but quality ready-made pub favorites such as pizzas, burgers and pies will generate 10% of sales.
Hepplestone explains: “We prefer the locality to a city center market. Overhead costs, such as business rates, are lower; Managed chains with deep pockets have less competition, and if you take the time to get to know your customers, you can build a loyal following.
“Pub leasing is essential for our expansion; the cost of buying pubs is too high to build the number of sites. The Black Bull has a lot of potential, but we couldn’t have considered it without the financial support of the Star, which will restore the pub to what customers now expect locally. We have been working collaboratively, but their project team does the heavy lifting required to complete the work, so we can continue to focus on the operations of our other pubs. We are already considering a new project with them.
Lorna Willoughby, investment manager at Star Pubs Yorkshire, added: “Simon and Richard have real local expertise in South Yorkshire. They are passionate about developing great pubs and are ideal players for The Black Bull. Ecclesfield’s pub scene was hit hard after the pandemic but is now recovering, and we are happy to be a part of it.”
The Star’s investment in The Black Bull is part of its £39m pub upgrade program in 2024.
