Launching a new concept is never simple and bringing them to life takes the right collaboration.
When seasoned operators behind a successful Glasgow-based hospitality group were ready to bring a new Scottish concept to life – they partnered with Star Pubs, building on a partnership rooted in understanding of the development and business direction, providing expert support across design and operations.
For Derek Mallon, Managing Director of Lomond Leisure Group, it wasn’t just about ticking boxes, it was working with the right people to help navigate common pitfalls and bring together great people to bring visions to life.
Highly experienced in the hospitality sector, having spent 14 years with The Restaurant Group, Derek began his journey in 2017 with the opening of Van Winkle.
Operating five hospitality venues in Scotland, Lomond Leisure Group then transformed Van Winkle bar on Sandyford Place in Glasgow with Star Pubs, into Gael & Grain, evolving its concept and adapting to international trade by celebrating Scottish food, drink and music. The original Van Winkle in Gallowgate is still going strong, and business is better than ever.
“We’ve worked hard to create a welcoming, locally rooted atmosphere that appeals to our international audience. Comedy nights have become a big part of our operations – we currently host it three nights a week and are aiming for seven. The venue also doubles as a space for private events, giving us real flexibility to cater to a host of events such as Christmas parties, corporate events and other private functions.”
Behind this revamp, was creating a flexible venue space that now hosts weekly comedy shows and private events, to showcasing local Scottish produce at its best to international tourists, their vision was brought to life through a true partnership.
“Star Pubs are incredibly helpful, and truly invested in your success,” the operator shared. “Working with them gave us access to properties we may not have been able to secure as independents. More than that, the support from their team, from investment to project design and operational insight, has been exceptional. They’re not just ticking boxes, they genuinely care about helping operators avoid industry pitfalls and succeed.”
Now running a business with 100+ team members and eyeing future venues, Derek prides the business on being on built on a loyal workforce.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have a team of loyal people who have been with us for some period of time, and for us, what makes us stand out and continue to thrive is our people. We’ve grown from a team of 6 to over 100 over the years. It’s fantastic for us to see that our people view themselves as part of the business and we very much work together as a team.”
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Case Study
Venue
Gael & Grain, located in Glasgow’s vibrant West End.
Operator
Derek Mallon, Managing Director of Lomond Leisure Group
Background
Derek heads up Lomond Leisure Group (LLG) – which operates five hospitality venues in Scotland. A £275,000 revamp of the ‘Van Winkle’ bar on Sandyford Place in Glasgow in partnership with Star Pubs was recently announced. The site closed on the 30th March and reopening mid-May – revealing the transformation into ‘Gael & Grain’, a pub celebrating Scottish food, drink and music. As well as the creation of eight new jobs.
Testimonial
“We started our journey in 2017, opening an independent bar, Van Winkle in Gallowgate, and followed that with a pub in the West end of Glasgow, Van Winkle, Sandyford Place, in 2018. A few years on, when the opportunity came to bring a new Scottish concept to life, we knew we needed the right partner to make it happen. We then went onto transforming formerly known, ‘Van Winkle, Sandyford Place’ to ‘Gael & Grain’, a concept that was a long time in the making.
Working with Star Pubs gave us access to properties we may not have been able to secure as independents. More than that, the support from their team, from investment to project design and operational insight, has been exceptional. They’re not just ticking boxes, they genuinely care about helping operators avoid industry pitfalls and succeed.
Our latest venue, Gael and Grain, focuses on celebrating Scottish produce, culture, and music, with a huge tourist appeal and the flexibility to run events, including a thriving comedy lounge. One of our core values is celebrating local produce, and we’ve carried that through every part of our offer, from our food menu to our carefully curated drinks list. We’re especially proud of our whisky selection, which showcases some of the finest local Scottish malts, which complement the diverse beer range provided by Star Pubs. The feedback from customers, especially our international and tourist visitors, has been fantastic.
We’ve worked hard to create a welcoming, locally rooted atmosphere that appeals to our international audience. Comedy nights have become a big part of our operations – we currently host it three nights a week and are aiming for seven. The venue also doubles as a space for private events, giving us real flexibility to cater to a host of events such as Christmas parties, corporate events and other private functions.
Without Star Pubs’ investment and input, from their designers to their contractors, we wouldn’t have been able to bring our vision to life so fully.
We are incredibly fortunate to have a team of loyal people who have been with us for some period of time, and for us, what makes us stand out and continue to thrive is our people. We’ve grown from a team of 6 to over 100 over the years. It’s fantastic for us to see that our people view themselves as part of the business and we very much work together as a team.
It’s that same sense of shared commitment we see in our partnership with Star Pubs. The individuals we’ve worked with have been fantastic and always solution focused.
For anyone serious about running a hospitality business, and ready to go in with eyes open and passion at the heart of it, working with Star Pubs is a fantastic route to success.”