THE TAVERN IS BACK!
SWANKY NEW LOOK AS HISTORIC PUB REOPENS AFTER A DECADE
TWO former NHS workers who played key roles in the pandemic have decided to have a career change and have jointly opened a once-thriving pub which has been empty for ten years.
Gavin Collingwood and Nick Brennand both worked at Hull Royal Infirmary, as part of the surgical department sterilising equipment.
They were each redeployed during the pandemic into different roles, which saw Nick joining the portering team and Gavin in ICU helping to move medications and equipment safely in and out.
However, their pipe dream was always opening a pub together.
And with life returning to more “normal” levels they took the plunge, and in April this year took the lease on The Spring Bank Tavern, a landmark pub that dates back to 1825.
They still worked their day jobs while renovating the derelict pub, in Spring Bank, but with the pub having opened this weekend they have now quit their jobs and are focusing on running the pub full-time.
“After years of neglect we have brought it back to life,” said Gavin.
“Neither of us had ever been to the Tavern when it was last opened, but we knew it was popular and we’ve had a lot of people coming in and saying how glad they are that it has been reopened after all this time.
“We have given it a modern and simple renovation, our aim is to run it as a rock music pub, and we are inviting unsigned rock bands to come and play here and aim to have regular live music,” said Gavin.
The pub still needs repainting on the outside, Gavin said, but the inside is now completely refurbished and customers have been giving positive feedback on the revamp.
The pub dates back to the 1820s when it was known as the Pineapple, and even had pineapple trees growing in the back yard.
However, after toying with a name change, Gavin and Nick decided to stick with the name that’s been around for around 200 years.
Gavin said: “We decided in the end that we couldn’t really change it, it just wouldn’t be right to change a name that had been around for ever.”
The pub is open from 4pm, seven days a week, with late opening on weekends.