The Queen’s Hotel in Stonehaven will reopen after a new tenant stepped forward to take over the business.
Kemnay man Prakash Srinivasan, 39, has taken over the reins at the north-east venue just weeks after it closed.
We reported last week that the hotel would remain closed indefinitely while owners Greene King hunted for a new operator.
Now, Prakash has revealed to The Press and Journal that he hopes to have the Queen’s open next Friday.
A former business management student at Robert Gordon University, he has worked for and run several Aberdeenshire food and drink venues in the past.
Recently taking over the Burnett Arms in his local Kemnay six months ago, he says running his second hotel in Stonehaven will “be a challenge” but worth it.
‘We just want to make our customers happy’
Dad of one, Prakash, said: “We are very excited to open up in Stonehaven.
“Me and my team have extensive experience of running pubs, from our time in The Burnett Arms in Kemnay.
“We have had success running that so far.
“When the opportunity came up to run the Queens Hotel we jumped at the chance.
“We are really hoping that we can make things better within the hotel.
“We know a lot of people over the last wee while have been trying to stay at the hotel and wanting to be served, but of course that’s not been possible recently.
“But, we are hoping to put that right and overcome those struggles. We just want to make our local customers happy.”
Queen’s Hotel will ‘serve the best beer’ in Stonehaven
Prakash also made a bold claim regarding the pub’s reopening.
He has warned the local town, that the newly managed Queen’s Hotel will serve the “best pint” in Stonehaven.
He added: “Drinks-wise, we want to also be the best beer in Stonehaven.
“In Kemnay, everyone loves our beer, so we want that to be the same down here.
“We know people love a good pint, and we want to give that to them.”
Joining the hotel on an initial six-month lease, Prakash added that not too many changes are planned in the short term to the Queen’s while the team settles in.
“We are focusing on giving our customers good quality drinks and food,” he said.
“We want to keep the local people happy here and are having a good time.”
Prakash also said the Queen’s Hotel is looking to add experience bar and restaurant staff to the team.
Conversation