Bath Ales are delighted to announce that the largest pub in their estate, The Wellington at the top of Gloucester Road, has had an impressive new extension, thanks to funding from NatWest.

After a long period of builders doing their thing behind a large wooden screen, the big reveal has taken place and The Welly now boasts a large conservatory-style extension, as well as new ladies and gents loos and a new beer garden. It’s worth going to take a look and relax on the new sofas or enjoy a meal in the new dining area. The area gives off a light and spacious feel, the décor is bold and the lighting soft. When the weather is suitable, the patio doors will be opened up and you can wander outside to enjoy a pint outside on the new terrace, which is bathed in sunshine most of the day.

On top of these new additions there is a fantastic menu by the new head chef. Initial customer reaction has been hugely positive and if the Sunday lunch trade is anything to go by the future looks bright!

Bath Ales have recently taken a much more pro-active approach with their food offering, having taken on dedicated Retail Operations Manager and committed foodie Robin Couling. Robin said: “I am really excited to be working for Bath Ales. We enjoy an excellent reputation for our beers and have always been incredibly well supported in Bath and Bristol alike, my job is to ensure that our food offer comes up to the same high standards.” He went on to say “The menus are gradually changing to reflect our West Country pedigree and will all focus on freshly prepared British dishes. We are sourcing more and more local suppliers and with that will come a more seasonal approach to the food.”

This refurbishment shows Bath Ales’ commitment to continued investment in its pubs’ estate, and this particular project was backed with a funding package worth £150K provided last year by the company’s Relationship Manager at NatWest, Jason Bailey. This funding is part of a larger finance solution provided by the bank to enable Bath Ales to modernise and extend its wider estate in the last two years. Jason has also introduced a representative from Lombard, part of the RBS Group as is NatWest, which has provided funding for the purchase of a new state of the art bottling plant, allowing them to create additional revenue streams with bottling services now provided to other breweries.

Jason Bailey, NatWest commented: “This is an excellent opportunity for Bath Ales and marks the next step forward for this successful company. We are delighted to support Bath Ales and after working closely with the team to really understand the needs of the business, I was able to provide a bespoke finance package tailored to their needs.”