The Barn Owl on Guardian Road, Exeter Business Park will re-open its doors on Friday 17th May after a £150,000 renovation that includes new fitted seating for extra comfort, a warm and welcoming colour scheme, plus mood enhancing lighting.
There is a new and well-equipped bar, along with an area made up of cosy leather sofas and chairs to relax in, plus luxurious soft furnishings have been introduced throughout the pub to make it even more cosy, inviting and upmarket.
With the expected upturn in business, the pub has also recruited six new team members - four extra front-of-house and two kitchen personnel. The latter are made up of a 2nd chef, plus a new and experienced Kitchen Manager in James Valpy, who has spent the last eight years with Whitbread.
Landlord Andrew Milburn says: “We’re totally revamping the interior to introduce the Vintage Inns premium dining offering (169 internal covers, 119 outside). And this means we’ll offer formal dining within the traditional pub environment - for a more refined eating out experience that will set us apart from the normal country pub.
“The end result is candlelit dinners at beautifully laid tables and an ambience that, whilst remaining informal and welcoming, is also more select and desirable. Full table service means that all food and drink needs can be accommodated at the table when ordering too, plus our guests can now make live bookings online for extra convenience - and peace of mind when it comes to celebrating special occasions.
“The renovations will make a very big difference to the overall mood and ambience and guests old and new are sure to love it. We’ll have a clean, contemporary look, but it will be a loving and tasteful restoration in keeping with the character of a magnificent old beamed building. The olde worlde charm will still prevail, but we’ll also provide the modern comforts and amenities that guests come to expect. It’s a best-of-both-worlds approach and my message to the good people of Exeter and nearby is come and celebrate a fantastic new beginning with us.”
The new-look Barn Owl will be the quintessential country pub restaurant in the area where you can enjoy premium dining in a friendly and easy going atmosphere, fine yet affordable wines, plus a full range of expertly kept and regularly changing cask-conditioned ales.
It’s steeped in history and located in the once ancient district of The Wonford Hundred, an area with a long-standing tradition of agricultural and handicraft. Indeed, the pub has been built from reclaimed materials salvaged from much older buildings and offers a distinctive & unique setting in which to eat and drink.
Work has also been done to the picturesque garden, with new garden plants being added and all the trees trimmed, while new internal doors have been added too - so that an area can be sectioned off and turned into a meeting room if required.
Editor’s Note: The Barn Owl is part of Vintage Inns, which is a unique collection of the UK’s best traditional (yet contemporary) pubs and specialises in home cooked food, fine wines and cask conditioned ales. Visit the website and be suitably inspired at http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/thebarnowlexeter/
