A popular local pub in Staple Hill has reopened as a neighbourhood café bar and restaurant. What was once the Red Lion on Broad Street has relaunched as The Forge & Fern after an extensive renovation of the 19th Century building.
The new venue is family-friendly, serving food and drink all day. As well as a complete renovation of the existing building, The Forge & Fern includes a new extension, creating over 3,000 square feet of floor space, an all-weather garden and alfresco terrace, all of which will have full wheelchair access throughout.
The Forge & Fern is the first venue for The Forges hospitality group, and has a strong environmental and sustainability focus, as well as creating jobs for the local community. On site, rooftop beehives have been installed, which will provide local garden and community pollination as well as providing honey which will be used on the menu, and a huge living wall above the outdoor terrace will bring its own ecosystem, promoting biodiversity in the area.
