The Angel Inn at Corbridge, which offers 16 bedrooms and a self-contained apartment as well as a bar, lounge and barn restaurant, is now able to offer private dining facilities for up to 16 people within the 460 year-old pub, after work was completed on the refurbishment of a former martini bar.
Angelfish, the high-quality fish and chip shop which was opened in one of the historic pub’s outbuildings in 2014 after a £120,000 conversion, has proved extremely successful, while the related Angelfish Hospitality Van, which was originally created for use in the Rugby World Cup Fanzone in Newcastle last year, is now booked out to be at a programme of festivals and events around the region right through 2016.
Overall turnover at The Angel, which also offers its own range of wines, has jumped from £1.5m to £2.5m since the business came under new management in 2011, while staff numbers have risen over the same period from 27 to 55.
And plans are now being drawn up for further investment in extending the pub’s kitchens, which will give the catering team the room they need to further improve what’s on offer. It also modernises the environment and makes it much more comfortable to work in.
Long-term advisor RMT Accountants and Business Advisors have worked with the Angel’s directors on all the financial aspects of the hotel’s continuing development.
Kevin Laing, managing director at the Angel Inn, says: “The Angel occupies a great position in a very popular and attractive town, and our reputation for providing excellent food and high-quality accommodation is attracting more and more customers in from the local area, the wider region and beyond and the recent unveiling of our own history story has also created new interest.
“We’re constantly reviewing what we offer to make sure that it reflects what our customers want from us and takes advantage of any opportunities we see to enhance what’s available.
“The investment we made in opening Angelfish has proved very successful, and we’re very confident that the money we’ve put into creating our excellent new private dining facilities will prove to be just as well spent. This room is perfect for breakfast meeting and a great venue for private dinners and family gatherings.
“While the philosophy of providing good hearty food made using only the best local produce won’t change, extending our kitchens will give our chefs the room they need to work smarter and further improve the range of meals we can provide.
“The support and advice we’ve had from RMT has played a significant part in everything we’ve achieved over the last four years, and their expertise will be crucial as we work towards realising even more of the potential that we still see in The Angel.”
Paul Gainford, head of commercial services at RMT Accountants and Business Advisors, adds: “The Angel management team takes a very forward-thinking approach to how they shape, update and deliver the hotel’s highly-regarded range of services, and it’s very pleasing for us to be part of a continuing Northumberland success story.”