A historic pub in Fishponds that temporarily closed in February has been taken over by a pub chain founded in Oxford. The Cross Hands on Staple Hill Road has been bought by Dodo Pub Co, which now has seven pubs in its growing portfolio.
The Cross Hands closed on February 26 after the previous tenants cited "ever-rising costs" as part of their decision to move on from the business after more than eight years. In an announcement on social media, the previous operators said it was "going to be a genuine wrench" to say goodbye to their customers, and stated the pub would be closed for six weeks for refurbishment.
New owners, Dodo Pub Co, opened their first pub in East Oxford back in 2009 called The Rusty Bicycle and have developed a small empire of neighbourhood venues in the city as well as Cheltenham, Caversham and Witney. The Cross Hands has been renamed the All Inn and is expected to open in May after the revamp is complete.
Read more: Tenants of historic Bristol pub say 'ever-rising costs' have reaffirmed their decision to move on
Co-founder Leo Johnson said: “We’ve been wanting to find the right place for a Dodo pub in Bristol for several years now. Two of us lived there for a while and we all love its vibrancy and the feeling of inclusion that seems to permeate the city. It’s got a great mix of pubs, bars and restaurants, and we firmly believe that our neighbourhood vibe will fit right in.”
The group focuses on creating neighbourhood pubs offering high quality, locally sourced food and drink in a welcoming space. The Dodo Pub Co says its 'traditional, yet quirky, welcoming style' will run throughout the new pub, alongside a menu offering dirty burgers, Neapolitan pizzas and a variety of sides.
In their latest venture, The All Inn will be creating around 15 new jobs, with recruitment starting immediately for all positions. The roles offer flexible working hours, career progression, a whole host of day to day perks, as well as an annual blow-out ‘thank you’ party for all staff.
The group also has a co-working arm to the business that utilises typically unused space above pubs. Dodo Works is a co-working space company based in Cheltenham above The Bottle of Sauce, with a second above The Part & Parcel, Witney in 2021, with a combined total of 100 members.
It also runs Caffeine & Cake by day, which is run as an independent cafe within the Dodo Pub Co venues.
1 Staple Hill Road, Fishponds, Bristol. Opening in May
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