Plans revealed for new Lancaster cocktail bar and restaurant from team behind 'Mad Hunter'

Friday, 22 March 2024 09:54

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

The Mad Hunter restaurant is currently based above the Palatine in Morecambe

A restaurant owner who will soon have to move out of his Morecambe premises is planning to open a new cocktail bar and restaurant in Lancaster city centre.

Travis Dunlop from the Mad Hunter South African fusion restaurant, currently based above The Palatine pub in Morecambe, is aiming to open the new business called Marula Monkey in May.

The new restaurant, selling jungle-themed speciality cocktails, will be located in the former The Secret Bistro on Sun Street.

It was announced earlier this month that Lancaster Brewery, owners of The Mad Hunter and Palatine building at 1 The Crescent in Morecambe, intend to put it up for sale.

"So you may be aware that the building we are in is up for sale and we have been given notice to vacate," said a post on The Mad Hunter Morecambe Bay Facebook page.

"We will still be open for the next few months and will keep you updated.

"Luckily for us an opportunity has arisen and we will be opening a brand new cocktail bar and restaurant in Lancaster City Centre in May. We have decided to expand from being purely South African and will be doing international food and drink, serving brunch, dinner and a range of great cocktails too.

"The whole team here will eventually make the move over to Marula Monkey. We would all like to thank you all for your valued support and hope you’ll continue to support us in the future."

Mr Dunlop owns the business with his mum Ailsa.

He studied at the Fusion School of Cookery in Durban, South Africa, and has worked in several fine dining restaurants across both Durban and England.

"We feel like we need to expand and try something new," said Mr Dunlop, speaking to Beyond Radio.

The Mad Hunter first opened locally on Meeting House Lane in Lancaster before Mr Dunlop moved his restaurant to St Michaels-on-Wyre, before opening above the Palatine in July 2023.

The popular pub is owned by Lancaster Brewery, who acquired and refurbished the premises in 2008.

Phil Simpson, director at Lancaster Brewery, said the premises would go up for sale "in a couple of months" after some work is carried out on the building to "give it some TLC".

Mr Simpson explained the reason for putting the building on the market.

"It's a very amicable situation," he said.

"The Palatine works as a tenanted pub and it's been brilliant. But do we want to keep doing tenanted businesses forever? We are more of a freehold business. Long-term (tenanted pubs) are not our USP and it's a little too small for us to run as a managed pub."

A freehold pub is owned outright and is sometimes run by a manager, while a tenanted pub is operated by a tenant who pays rent to the owner.

In the meantime the pub remains open with business as usual.