Not content to make a success of merely one challenging trade, Hutchinson has laid out a vision for The Lesters Arms that would see it become a destination venue for diners and drinkers alike.
The transformative refurbishment, due for completion in January, will see The New Inns in Brewood, north of Birmingham, brought back to life with a luxury lounge area, 60-guest dining area, and a new name.
“I’ve been fortunate to enjoy some fantastic establishments in the UK and overseas and have taken lots of inspiration from all of them and poured it into The Lesters Arms, a place for people to socialise and enjoy a level of food and service they can’t get anywhere else,” explained Hutchinson, who has recently moved to the area.
“The site had been earmarked for new homes, but we’ve already lost too many pubs and restaurants in Wolverhampton and Staffordshire, and I didn’t want that to happen again. At the same time, we knew we had to create a venue that offers something different.”
The Lesters Arms will create around 20 jobs, with Hutchinson looking to build a strong team with above-industry pay packages.
He continued: “In essence, we want to create a ‘favourite’ relaxed gourmet destination for people who really enjoy life.
“The service will be warm, friendly, and attentive, the food and drink sourced from the finest local ingredients and there will be plenty of surprises along the way. We want people to remember their visit and return time and time again.
“We are passionate about where we come from and this will be reflected in the ever-changing, locally inspired menu and, importantly, in the community events that we will hold.”
Hutchinson’s pub venture comes at a bumper time for the businessman’s packaging company, the family-run Lesters Packaging.
In the past eighteen months alone, the firm – which turned over £16.5m in 2022/23 – has doubled in size.
In June and July, the company invested several million pounds in a pair of TCY casemakers and expanded its sales team to boost its automotive sector packaging division, taking advantage of demand for specialised, custom-fitting boxes.
