Forres Local

Well-known publicans of the Mosset Tavern, Gordon and Melissa Brailsford, are settling in this week as new tenants at the Red Lion in Tolbooth Street.

The popular bar in the centre of town, was recently put up for lease after Carrie Custodio, who has run the bar since 2015, gave up the Belhaven tenancy, and it was offered to Gordon and Melissa by the brewery.

Gordon said: “It wasn’t an immediate ‘yes’, we had no real ambition to open another pub, but we decided ‘why not’, we’ve got a wealth of talent at the Mosset and within the Red Lion, to make it work.”

And he added: “It’s a bit of a homecoming for my wife, as she lived here for 20 years when her parents, well-known publicans, Robbie and Carol, owned the pub.

He’s even convinced Carrie to stay on behind the bar.

Face of the Red Lion

“Carrie is still going to be the face of the Red Lion on a day-to-day basis. She’s built up a really great, loyal legion of fans here,” he added.

Gordon, who has been at the Mosset since 2006 and formerly managed TGI Fridays in London’s Picadilly said people are already asking him what changes he is going to make.

He wanted to quash any fears that he would change what the Red Lion has become popular for.

“There will be a few,” he said, “but they’re going to be subtle. We’ll be continuing the great name it has for food, and I want to increase the malt selection we have here.

More Moray gins

“We’re also going to build on the success of the great Moray gins that are around, Gordon Castle, Red Door and Avva Gin from Fochabers.

“The Red Lion is known for quality and we’ll be increasing that in spades.”

A bike shop that’s been keeping Forres on two wheels for nearly a century is soon to be peddling a new product.

Stuart’s cycle shop in Forres, which will close its doors shortly, is to be re-invented as a new and unique place to enjoy a drink and relax.

To be called the Yellow Bar, it’s the brainchild of young local Speyside Brewery owner, Seb Jones.

Businessman Seb says he has been working with owners of the cycle shop, Reg and Heather Stuart, over the last six months to plan the transition and handover.

Working in tandem

“Everything has come together nicely; Reg and Heather wanted to retire, and I had been searching for suitable premises to create a new and different space for a bar,” he said.

“The plan is to create a gathering place for people, particularly those in a younger age group – or who are young at heart.

“We’ve got some great ideas for the huge space, and we want to involve as many people as possible in developing them.”

The venue will boast a clay pizza oven, modern décor and a bar. There will also be a dedicated space for pop-up displays, events and music.

Watch this space

Seb will be tapping into his social media following next month for ideas and support. A series of short films will be part of a campaign to keep people up to date with developments.

The project will involve a number of young tradespeople to carry out the conversion.

“These are the people I grew up with, and I want to use the venue to support an economy that has been good to me. Forres is particularly pro-active at doing things differently and better, and coming together to grow their own. I’m just following that model,” said Seb.

He will naturally be selling his Speyside beers fresh from the brewery at nearby Greshop Estate, and will host a number of guest ales  

Community engagement

The next steps for Seb are to finalise planning consent and engage with the local community on what they would like to see as part of the bar’s development. Work is expected to start soon after, along with the launch of a crowdfunding project, whereby people can have a stake in the success of the venture.

The Kickstarter programme will be launched in March, and will enable participants to get discounts and membership perks in return for supporting the project with pledges.

“It will be the first time people in Forres will have the opportunity to be a part of a project in such a way,” Seb said.