But open for business as usual

After rumours that one of Acton's favourite pubs and eateries was up for sale, we contacted the owners to ask them whether the rumours were true, or whether the appearance of the lease on a property website (fleurets.com) was a red herring.

We spoke to Tim Hope-Cobbold, co-owner of the successful gastro-pub.

Tim told us that he had bought the pub with his business partners (his brother and a friend) when he was 26. "I'm 31 now and I want to do something different with my life."

He continued: "It happens in life that you start to want to do something different. It's not that the business is going badly - in fact, we're just launching a new menu and will be open for business as usual. The reasons we're selling the business are are own personal ones - it may well be that we move on to do something along the same lines in some way."

"Sales like this can take up to a year. We're very much still here and will keep going. we would be looking for an operator who would keep the pub running in a similar way to now."

The Rocket was also recently listed on Urbanpath.com, which lists 'nice things in London'.

Their new menu, just launched, looks delicious and includes enticing main courses such as pan fried fillet of sea bream with crab & dill risotto, Confit duck leg with white bean, pancetta, rosemary stew, and Game stew (pheasant, partridge, rabbit & venison) with parsnip & potato mash.

January 18, 2008