There are plenty of restaurant operators who like to keep all their businesses close to each other - think Tom Kerridge in Marlow or Rick Stein in Cornwall. Now, up in North London, popular pub landlord Heath Ball is hoping to follow in their footsteps. Heath owns the super-popular (and our own personal favourite drinking hole) the Red Lion & Sun in Highgate, but has just taken on a new pub less than 200 yards away.
From November he'll be the owner of The Angel Inn in Highgate Village. It's a historical site - there's been an inn here since at least the 17th century - and the current pub was a favourite hangout of the Monty Python crew who used to write their sketches there.
"While I’m not looking to become the Rick Stein of Highgate, having a second site will give me the option to try some new things, like a breakfast and brunch menu," he says, "as I don’t have capacity at the Red for that." The Red Lion & Sun is currently No 6 in the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub list so as you might imagine it's a hard place to get a table at sometimes.
“It will be nice to have a great, perhaps more relaxed, option down the road to send people to which will still have a great food and drink offer, just with a different kind of vibe."
Heath will get the keys to his latest pub in early November (he also has the Lockhart in Haywards Heath, and the Wenlock Arms in Hoxton). He'll run it until the New Year as it is before closing it for a major refurb. He'll then relaunch with the new and refreshed menu using "the same quality suppliers as The Red Lion and Sun".
More about The Angel Inn
Where is it? 37 Highgate High St, London N6 5JT
When does it open? Reopens 4 November 2024
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @theangeln6
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