North East entrepreneurs take on second pub in 15 months
Together with Star Pubs, they are investing £205,000 in upgrading the venue.
North East entrepreneurs Andrew White and Michael Bray have added a second Star Pubs lease – The George Stephenson in West Moor, Newcastle upon Tyne – to their business portfolio.
The duo took on their first Star Pubs lease for Fleet Street in Newcastle in July 2024, a city-centre bar which had previously been boarded up for nine years.
The partners also oversee Wasp Global, a global design and digital marketing agency; Capital 4 Training, which offers construction apprenticeships; and Empentis, which provides multi-channel marketing apprenticeships, as well as heavy goods vehicle apprenticeships. Epentis also owns a vocational English school in Cambodia, specifically targeting the tourism and hospitality sector.
A new lease of life for The George Stephenson
The operators aim to transform The George Stephenson into a community local, which they have already been operating temporarily for the last three months. Upcoming changes include the introduction of food to broaden its appeal and enhancing its sports and live entertainment offer. They hope to invite local sports heroes to participate in Q&A sessions and podcasts from the pub.
In addition to screening live sports, the pub will host live music on weekends, as well as open mic and quiz nights during the week, alongside pool and darts matches.
Together with Star Pubs, they are investing £205,000 in upgrading the venue, including top-to-toe redecoration and new furniture throughout, plus a new pool table, darts board and five high-definition TVs. The toilets are set to be upgraded and a commercial kitchen will be installed.
The exterior will receive a full makeover, complete with new garden furniture and parasols.
"We are interested in growing our hospitality business to include more community pubs and city centre bars in the North East if the right opportunities come along," says White.
"Our design agency fits well with hospitality, as does our training in multichannel marketing. There's even crossover with our Cambodia operation, where there is significant investment in new hospitality venues and a consequent requirement for training. Students in Cambodia are given the opportunity to talk to our UK staff, including our manager or chef."
You may also be interested in…
