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Village pub venture is next on the cards for Lane7 entrepreneur

The owner of the North East’s first boutique bowling venue has announced his second venture is to be a County Durham country pub.

Tim Wilks, who launched Lane7 in central Newcastle last year, is to partner skilled chef Ellie Richmond and experienced bar manager Jack Bowles with the opening of The Fox Hole, on the site of the former Carlbury Arms in Piercebridge, west of Darlington.

The site is currently being given a £250,000 overhaul, which, once opened later this summer, will create up to 15 new full and part time jobs.

Ellie will head up operations in the kitchen, while Jack will oversee front of house. The Fox Hole team is using the same designer that created the interior for Lane7, which has recently been shortlisted for an international award for its striking design.

Tim said: “Ellie and Jack are two people I have known privately for some time. Their knowledge, skills and unnerving commitment to great service impress me greatly. Their plans to run their own pub and dining operation matched our eagerness to expand our own leisure operations.

“We acquired the Carlbury Arms earlier this year and we’re now busy putting our own unique stamp on it. This will be every inch the welcoming village pub, but we’ll also add some special touches that will bring it bang up to date.”

A contemporary open kitchen is being installed to cater for diners, while the aptly-named ‘wellie bar’, will offer a much more relaxed space. Further drinking and dining spaces, including an expansive new pub garden, are also being created.

Tim added: “The village pub needs to be the focal point of that village and we very much hope The Fox Hole is a facility that those living in and around Piercebridge will find attractive. Its with these people in mind that we’ve created this.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .