From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Nicola Jordan, 12 May 2022.

Bosses of Dead Pigeon micropub in Rochester to take over former Barclays branch in Rainham.

The owners of a successful micropub plan to take over an empty bank to open a second much bigger premises.

Jamie Clark and Tom Mudge, who run the "Dead Pigeon" in Rochester, want to transform the old Barclays in Rainham into a bar serving food.

The men are taking over the old Barclays Bank in Rainham.

They hope to employ an extra 15 to 25 staff at the High Street venue which will cater for about 100 seated customers.

The menu is still being finalised but the men – both aged 33 – promise their popular giant burgers served at their current High Street bar will be making an appearance.

There will also be a cocktail menu and about 100 craft beers on offer.

Both growing up in the town attending the Howard School, they say their new venture is close to their hearts.

Jamie said: "It's been a bank there for as long as I can remember. I've walked past it and used it for years.

Barclays in High Street, Rainham.

The downstairs will be a bar and seating area for food.

"We've been looking at Rainham for some time. A lot of our existing customers come from around this area and have asked when are we going to move here.

"When it came up we couldn't turn it down. There's not much that needs doing, just more interior work like installing a kitchen."

Tom is a chef and Jamie takes care of the paperwork and marketing side of the business while Jamie's wife, Rachel, also helps out.

The upstairs floor will be used as offices and will eventually be a function room where live entertainment can be performed.

They hope to open later this year after an eight to 12-week refit.

The planned bar area inside the old Barclay's Bank.

The landmark building is opposite the "Cricketers" and "White Horse" pubs – The Railway Wetherspoon's hostelry is in nearby Station Road.

The men have yet to come up with a name, but are hopeful it will come to them like it did when they took over the "Dead Pigeon" in 2018.

Jamie explained: "We came across a dead pigeon when we were refurbishing it and thought that might ruffle a few feathers."

Formerly the Northern Seaman micropub, it is popular with craft beer drinkers and thrived on a roaring take-away trade during lockdown, including the monumental Game Changer burger.

It is also popular with real-ale drinkers and did such a thriving trade in takeaways during lockdown that the service has been continued.

Inside the vaults at the former bank which is planned to be storage or a beer tasting room.

For months there has been widespread speculation that the Nucleus art project was to take over Barclays.

Its director Aaron Telford this week confirmed officially for the first time there had been interest in the premises, but there were drawbacks, including lack of a garden.

He said: "It is one of three properties we have been looking at in the High Street.

"We are looking at a building of a similar size to the bank which would accommodate a cafe, gallery and studios."

He added: "We are very keen to get into Rainham. We have been talking to the council and the town is due for regeneration.

The downstairs will be a bar and seating area for food.

We were surprised when we did a survey of where our customers live and 23% had an ME8 (Rainham) postcode."

He said Nucleus, which has a restaurant at the former Conservancy Building in Rochester and a cafe in Chatham High Street, is close to clinching a deal in the town centre.

Nucleus is currently advertising for staff to work at its new venue.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Nicola Jordan, 30 September 2022.

Owners of the Dead Pigeon in Rochester to open The Greedy Banker at former Barclays bank in Rainham.

The new owners of a former high street bank are planning to open it as a pub "with a difference”.

The Greedy Banker in Rainham High Street will boast about 100 craft beers providing “Medway’s biggest tap wall” and “banging food”.

From left: Tom Mudge and Jamie Clark, owners of the Dead Pigeon in Rochester, outside their new Rainham venture.

Opening this November it will be serving a wide range of cocktails and it will also be showing live sport.

Jamie Clark and Tom Mudge, who run the "Dead Pigeon" micropub in Rochester, have taken over the old Barclays in Rainham, which has been empty for nearly a year.

The life-long mates and business partners have spent the last four months transforming the massive building on the corner of Station Road into an impressive hostelry.

The bank vaults downstairs will be used for storage and a possible beer-tasting room and the top floor could be used for functions at some stage.

Building on the success of their first venture in the licensing trade, the new premises is bigger than the micropub in the High Street between Rochester and Chatham.

Their new venture means they will be employing up to 25 more staff and it will cater for about 100 seated customers.

Included in the food menu will hopefully be old favourites, like the giant home-made burgers which have won them a widespread reputation.

Both men are aged 34 and grew up in the town, so the new business is close to their hearts.

Tom is a chef and Jamie takes care of the paperwork and marketing side of the business while Jamie’s wife, Rachel, also helps out.

Jamie said: “We have been looking at Rainham for some time.

"A lot of our existing customers come from around this area and have asked when we are going to move here.

“When it came up, we couldn’t turn it down.”

The opening will be an economic boost for the town which has seen the closure of the Green Lion pub further along the high street, and the Iceland supermarket shutting in the shopping precinct.

The pub is also set to offer takeaway food as well.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Nicola Jordan, 17 November 2022.

Dead Pigeon owners open The Greedy Banker pub in Rainham High Street in former Barclays bank.

A new pub is set to open at a former high street bank after undergoing a plus makeover costing more than £250,000.

The owners have given the boozer in Rainham a tongue-in-cheek name - The Greedy Banker.

Tom Mudge and Jamie Clark get set to open their Rainham pub.

It is set to launch tomorrow (Friday).

Lifelong mates Jamie Clark and Tom Mudge, who run the successful Dead Pigeon micropub in Rochester, have pledged to open a pub "with a difference" at the former Barclays.

They are hoping that it will help "Rainham become the new Rochester" when it comes to going out in Medway.

The hostelry will boast 100 craft beers providing "Medway's biggest tap wall", a wide range of wines and a full cocktail list.

"Banging food" will be on the menu, including the mouthwatering giant packed burgers which have won them a widespread reputation.

Jamie said: "There would be a riot if the burgers were not there. We've had people come from Cardiff and Liverpool for one of them at the Dead Pigeon."

Live sport will be screened at the prominent building, which has been empty for about a year.

They are also hoping that, being at the top of Station Road, it will appeal to commuters on their way home.

Jamie said: "Quality is key. We both go out in London and we aim to bring it to the same standard of where people go out to lunch in town."

The business partners' new venture is close to their hearts as they both grew up and went to school in Rainham.

The bank vaults downstairs will be used for storage and a possible beer-tasting room and the top floor could be used for functions and live entertainment at some stage.

Inside the vaults at the former bank which is planned to be storage or a beer tasting room.

Building on the success of their first venture, this premises is bigger than the micropub in the high street between Rochester and Chatham.

They will be employing up to 25 more staff and it will cater for about 100 seated customers.

Tom is a chef and Jamie takes care of the paperwork and marketing side of the business while Jamie’s wife, Rachel, also helps out with admin.

Jamie said: “We have been looking at Rainham for some time.

"A lot of our existing customers come from around this area and have asked when we are going to move here.

"It got to a stage when I avoided the place because people were stopping me in the street and asking when we were going to open."

The men opened their micropub in 2018 and unlike many other licensed premises their trade boomed during lockdown with a much sought-after takeaway service.

Jamie said : "It could be a gamble, but there comes a time when you have to take a risk.

"The response so far has been amazing. We've even had old bank staff get in touch saying they will be back."

Rich David, founder of the Rainham, Kent Community Group, said: "I think the new restaurant is great.

"It will be a lovely local treat if Rochester's "Dead Pigeon" restaurant is anything to go by"

The opening will be an economic boost for the town which has seen the closure of the "Green Lion" pub further along the high street, and the Iceland supermarket shutting in the shopping precinct. This is due to reopen as a Poundland.

The Nucleus arts project which runs cafés and galleries in Rochester and Chatham is due to open a branch in the town soon.