East Midlands independent pub group The Orange Tree is to expand
by opening its first club.
The group, which runs five pubs in Leicester, Loughborough and
Nottingham, has taken over the site formerly occupied by The
Basement in Wellington Street, Leicester, and plans to transform
the premises into a flexible venue with an alternative feel and
offer
It is also looking to acquire a further two potential sites in
the region as part of its expansion programme.
The Leicester club, which will retain the name The Basement,
will be true to the style of the group's other outlets - The Orange
Tree in High Street, the O Bar in Braunstone Gate, The Lansdowne in
London Road, which are all in Leicester, and The Orange Tree,
Loughborough, and The Orange Tree, Nottingham.
It will be a live music venue some nights, a late night bar on
others and at weekends The Basement will have a more traditional
night club feel but in intimate and personalised surroundings.
Ben Hings, managing director of The Orange Tree Group, said:
"The fact that we are expanding is good news for the company and
good news for the nightlife in Leicester, which will be gaining the
type and style of venue that we felt was missing in the city.
"The Basement will be an eclectic mix of all the elements of our
other establishments. Our aim is to create a venue that's flexible
in what it offers, and that is centred on the same principles,
ethos and standards that have made the Orange Trees bars and pubs
successful and popular with customers."
Work is now underway to transform the 170-capacity club, with an
expected opening date due in late spring or early summer.
The Basement has a licence to open until 6am, which the Orange
Tree Group plans to operate at key times of the week.
The independent pub group was founded by Ben Hings and Gareth
Smith in October 1997 when they opened The Orange Tree in
Leicester. This was followed by The Orange Tree, Loughborough, a
year later and then the O Bar in Leicester in 2001. The group's
Orange Tree in Nottingham opened in October 2003, followed by The
Lansdowne in December 2004.