Community pub curries favour with customers thanks to big changes

(L-r) Chelsea Fitton, bar supervisor, Ali Ozeemir, landlord, and Antonio Fernendez, bar manager. Picture: Sarah Standing (161724-9984)

But the Coach House, in Fareham Road, Gosport, is now roaring with new life thanks to entrepreneurial businessman Ali Ozdemir.

Mr Ozdemir has changed the name of the pub to The North Star, transformed the inside and created a separate 150-seater Indian restaurant as part of a £200,000 revamp of the business.

The experienced takeaway and restaurant mogul employs nine staff and is determined to pull in big trade in 2017.

And he’s had the backing of brewing giant Molson Coors.

The venue re-opened in December and has already been picking up steam.

Speaking about why he wanted to take over the venue, Mr Ozdemir said: ‘The location was right, and I knew it was something that was needed in that area.

‘It’s something completely different.

‘People need something different in their pub.

‘We have a chef and staff from India serving up different foods to meet different styles and tastes.

‘We have changed the inside completely and been able to create a good atmosphere.

‘We’ve also improved the parking – before there were 20 spaces and now we’ve increased that by 10 to 30.

‘The design inside is beautiful, and we installed lighting from Turkey.

‘We are already doing very well.

‘There are so many pubs around, but we’re providing something different.

‘You can come in and have a couple of pints, or you can come in and have some drinks and have a nice curry too.

‘So you have two good ways of enjoying yourself.

And Mr Ozdemir says the changes have gone down a treat with the customers.

He said: ‘The customers love the changes.

‘People have come in saying it looks very different, and very nice.

‘They say it’s clean and hygienic – and the food is classy and of a high quality.’

Molson Coors account manager, Karl Bradford, praised the work Mr Ozdemir and his team had put into the venue.

Mr Bradford said: ‘The decor inside is beautiful. Mr Ozdemir has really turned it around, and the food aspect of the business is going well.

‘He has invested a lot of money into it and he has a lot of passion behind what he wants to do.’

As reported, Jake Yeo and Julie Malec had been running the venue as Arty’s at the Coach House, before they were told it had been sold by owner Enterprise Inns. They now have now set up a venue at Clarence Marina in Gosport.