What was formerly The Horns pub is set to reopen next week under a new vision as a Brazilian seafood and grill bar.
Avabar will be the new business operating out of the iconic Hempstead Road venue after a complete refurbishment concludes.
What was meant to be a “small project” ballooned into a much bigger job and the reopening faced delays. But today (June 11) the restaurant said everything will be ready on time for a small “soft opening” for friends and family next Wednesday (June 19), before a full launch event on the Friday.
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Despite issues with the building, construction delays and bad weather, the transformation is now “90 per cent there”, according to the managing director Alessandro.
Scaffolding is still up, but everything should be complete by the end of this week.
The restaurateur hopes regulars will embrace the new vision for the building with the owners spending around £150,000 to reconfigure, improve and update it.
“We’re trying to make it the best for the community to have somewhere nice to go," Alessandro said. “I can’t wait to open it up. It’s been a long project.”
The menu will feature monthly changes with staples including tapas, platters, grilled fish and T-bone steak.
Special Brazilian moqueca, which is apparently rare in the UK, will also be a highlight. Drinks on offer will include a selection of craft beers, cocktails and fine wines.
While it is bringing a different offering than The Horns, the bar-restaurant will be maintaining the live music aspect that was key to its identity.
Around £18,000 has been spent on a top-quality music set-up, the managing director said, to offer the best experience when bands, acoustic acts and DJs provide live entertainment.
In October 2022, The Horns’ management at the time announced it had closed “for the last time” before an “extraordinary” response from locals and meetings with Stonegate produced fresh hope it would be able to keep going.
At around the same time the following year, the management closed the pub again, admitting that it had “tried our hardest” but found running The Horns as it was “completely unsustainable”.
It reopened in December last year under its most recent management before shutting again in April.
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