Paul Bright has taken on the lease of The Thornwood, which was previously run by Marc Ferrier.
Paul told DRAM, “It seems like a perfect fit. I am local, and I know the pub well. It serves the entire area of Partick and Whiteinch.
“Before I took it on, I spoke to Marc. He did a great job with the pub, and I hope to continue its success.
“I’m just making small tweaks at the moment, but I have some ideas of what I would like to do to put my stamp on it. I am not new to this trade; I’ve got 22 years under my belt, running some of Glasgow’s most successful bars, including Maggie May’s, Slouch, and The Strip Joint.”
Paul is still continuing with The Strip Joint. He says, “The last five to seven years at The Strip have been amazing because of the record store. I love The Strip; it is tied into who I am—I am the guy from The Strip Joint, and the record shop is nearly more successful than the pub.
“I’m working with the same team I worked with at The Strip, and so far, a couple of weeks in, it has been great.”
He continues, “Everyone in the area seems relieved. No one is losing their favourite pub, and I’m not going to start changing things. As usual, I have a few wee things up my sleeve to add to its popularity. All the front-of-house team have stayed on, which I think is a vote of confidence. Everyone seemed relieved, and that was nice. If everyone had disappeared when they knew it was me, that would have been devastating.
“My biggest challenge is getting the message that the uncertainty is over. The kitchen is now back open, and it is all guns blazing. This is a proper neighbourhood bar.”