An iconic pub in Staple Hill is reopening as a neighbourhood café bar and restaurant. What was once the Red Lion on Broad Street is relaunching as The Forge & Fern after an extensive renovation of the 19th Century building.
The new venue will be family-friendly, serving food and drink all day. As well as complete renovation of the existing building, The Forge & Fern will include 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 will also have 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.
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Chefs will also use herbs from The Forge & Fern’s very own herb garden in the seasonally changing dishes on the menu. Just a stone’s throw from the Bristol and Bath cycle path, the pub will be cyclist-friendly and will have dedicated secure storage for bikes.
Food at The Forge & Fern will be served all day, every day, with a range of cakes and coffee, brunch dishes, small plates and signature pub classics. In-keeping with their environmental and sustainable commitment, much of the produce will be sourced from local suppliers, including Buxton Butchers and Hobbs House Bakery.
The venue will also house its very own gin distillery in the pub’s basement, which will be visible to customers through a glass floor. The in-house gin will feature prominently on the bar’s drinks menu.
Speaking about the upcoming opening, a spokesperson for The Forges said: “We’ve been having an input on the old Red Lion site since its acquisition in 2019. To say this has been a long time in the making is something of an understatement, and we’re incredibly excited to be so close to opening.
“Everything we’re doing with The Forge & Fern is focused on the community, from employing local people to help us renovate the old site, right through to providing a place for everyone in the area to enjoy once we open our doors. We’re extremely proud of how it’s all come together.
“We can’t wait to welcome all of our new locals to see what we’ve done with such an iconic Staple Hill venue, and are really looking forward to serving up some great food and drinks and becoming part of the community.”
The Forge & Fern is due to open this month, and will be open from 8am all day through Monday to Sunday.
