A LANDLORD is looking forward to the future and has taken over a second pub in Halesowen.
Mark Griffiths, landlord of Picks on High Street, has taken over the reins at the Huntingtree Pub in Alexandra Rd.
The 50-year-old will run the watering hole, which is owned by Star Pubs, with his partner Melanie White, aged 47.
He will open both pub's outdoor spaces on April 12, after the PM announced on Monday on his road map out of lockdown that pubs and restaurants are set to open for outdoor, seated service on this date if cases continue to drop.
Then on May 17 indoor hospitality is set to reopen.
The interior of the pub
Mark, who signed the deal on the Huntingtree days before the November 2020 lockdown came into effect, said: "We're looking forward to opening on April 12.
"The Huntingtree has got a large beer garden, which was one of the factors in us taking it on.
"It will be brilliant.
"We have spent quite a bit of money on a facelift and we are hoping it will be a good time to take it on."
The pub has been given a facelift
Mark was forced to throw away £3.5k worth of beer during the last lockdown, but is staying upbeat despite the devastating impact of covid on the pub trade.
He hopes with the vaccine being rolled out and the roadmap out of lockdown, this will be the "light at the end of the tunnel."
The table waiting service will return at both pubs on April 12.
Picks is one of Halesowen's oldest pubs and had been boarded up for around 18-months before Mark opened it, after carrying out a £12k revamp in 2019. It is owned by Heineken.
The pub inside
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