Shaker Group takes on first Star Pubs & Bars lease

Shaker Group, an operator and hospitality consultancy run by husband-and-wife team Adam and Theresa Freeth, has taken on its first Star Pubs and Bars lease, The White Hart in Redditch.

The group will work alongside operations manager Victoria Coliandris. The White Hart, which has been closed since the start of the year, will reopen in early September as a premium family and dog friendly local following a £400,000 plus joint refurbishment with Star Pubs and Bars.

The Hart is the first of five sites the group intends to establish in the next three years, together with members of its team who are ready to run their own pubs. The group already owns Gas Street Social in The Mailbox in Birmingham and The Orangery, a restaurant and hotel in Redditch.  

The investment will see the Former White Hart Inn rebranded to The Hart at Headless Cross and taken to a new level with a focus on homemade pub classics.  Produce will be sourced from local suppliers wherever possible, including coffee from a local Worcestershire roastery, homemade deli items and freshly baked bread.

The courtyard will be used for alfresco dining and open most of the year and will feature covered seating booths, a heated stretch tent, hurricane lamps, festoon lighting and lots and lots of greenery.  

Later in the year, an upstairs bookable cocktail bar seating 40 will open before Christmas. In 2023, a bookable function space will be launched at the back of the pub to host private functions with capacity for up to 200 guests.  

Adam Freeth said: “We are building our business model around our people.  Our people are recruited because of their potential and ambition, not just experience.  We will grow our estate as and when members of our team are ready to take on sites. 

“We’ve trained tens of thousands of people over the years and most share a desire to be their own boss. We’ve had our eye on the White Hart for 10 years. It’s a fantastic pub in a great location with the potential for multiple income streams.” 

Phil Mardon, Star Pubs and Bars’ area manager, said: “The changes to the White Hart are going to be massive and will result in a fantastic pub for the local community. It’s great to have The Shaker Group on board and I look forward to building a long-term relationship, helping them grow their pub business.”