A FORMER Bank of Scotland building in Glasgow will reopen on Friday as Shilling Brewing Co, a specialist bar that brews its own craft beer.
Glendola Leisure Group has invested £1.5 million in refurbishing the historic building on the corner of West George Street and West Nile Street into a 160 seat pub.
The Waxy O’Connors owner, which also operates Alston Bar & Beef restaurant and Gordon St Coffee shop in the city, has created twenty new jobs at the venue.
Glendola managing director Alexander Salussolia said Glasgow had been chosen to launch its first brewpub in part because of the city’s passion for craft beer.
“Glasgow has a big heart for craft beer but for us it was a combination of factors, including finding the right location,” he said. “We’re really trying to innovate. Glasgow has led the way in Scotland’s beer heritage for centuries, and we are excited to now be playing our part in contributing to the next chapter in the city’s beer story.”
The location was most recently trading as Hortons after being acquired by Glendola when trading as Frankenstein. When its doors open, Shilling Brewing Co, or SBCo, will serve four beers made on site – a nettle beer, a pale ale, an Indian pale ale and a red IPA – in addition to range of Scottish and global beers.
Mr Salussolia added: “Our philosophy and aspiration is to create the best hospitality outlets by delivering the best product with expert service from a stunning design-led environment.”
He said that brewpubs stood out because the “art and science of brewing can be observed by everyone who visits”.
Declan McCaffery is the man who will lead this aspect of the business. As head brewer, Mr McCaffery comes with experience of working in breweries across the UK. Mr McCaffery is also a graduate of Heriot-Watt University’s brewing and distilling centre, which is at the centre of much of Scotland’s craft beer and spirit revolution.
SBCo will also serve pizzas made fresh using locally sourced ingredients and brewers’ yeast.
Mr Salussolia revealed that the company consulted pioneering craft brewer Drygate ahead of the venture, having established a relationship with the business when it collaborated with Gordon St Coffee on an espresso stout.
He added that the SBCo brand could be extended to other cities, but said Waxy O’Connors was likely to remain the only national brand in the company’s portfolio. “Glendola is an unbranded business, not a chain. There are different things we do,” he said. “We’re a family business and we’re always looking to the future, not when to flip it. We want to create iconic brands we can be proud of.”
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