After years of running the downtown neighborhood favorite Fleet Street Pub, nestled in the basement of the building at 207 Printers Alley, owner Glenn Henderson was ready for a change. At the same time, Ian Wrigley was looking for as new opportunity after a successful career in technical training. Originally hailing from Manchester (U.K., not TN), Wrigley was interested in finding a proper English Pub to buy and run. When he saw an oblique ad for a turnkey bar operation downtown, and it turned out to be Fleet Street that was for sale, Wrigley was enthusiastic.
“It’s a real pub like what I’m used to from the U.K. I got in touch with Glenn and was pleased that he really wanted me to be the one to buy it. I think he might have turned down some other offers, and he really wants me to succeed. He literally built the place and didn’t want the character to change dramatically.”
Henderson and Wrigley consummated the sale in the middle of the World Cup craziness of this summer, so Wrigley hit the ground running. For his part, Wrigley says that Henderson is planning to buy a boat and sail around the world with his wife. Bon voyage, Glenn and thanks for the fish (and chips!)
Wrigley learned quickly what makes Fleet Street special. “We’re an oasis from the craziness of Lower Broad. We don’t have live music or karaoke because sometimes people want … not that.” The new owner recognizes that the pub serves several different constituencies. They emphasize the fact that their food is made on-site, from sauces and batters to sausages and ice cream. They don’t just fry up food that comes out of a bag.
“We also get a big late-night crowd because we keep the kitchen open with a full menu until midnight during the week and until 1 a.m. on weekends. That gets us a lot of service industry people in here. Our lunchtime crowd is a lot of business folks who don’t want to have to move their cars that they’ve already parked for the day. We can handle a firmly defined lunch schedule and get them in and out in less than an hour. Our daily lunch specials offer a choice of four dishes plus a soft drink for a really affordable price. Plus all the new hotels opening up all around us can’t hurt!”
Then there are the sports fans. As an official watching spot for Arsenal football games, the bar is decorated with all sorts of Gunners memorabilia, but they also show pretty much all the major football (aka soccer) matches at Fleet Street. They are also part of Nashville SC’s official pub partner program. British expats and fans of U.K. culture are also regular visitors. (“We tend to get big crowds whenever British acts play the Ryman or at Bridgestone,” explains Wrigley.)
But it’s the food and drink that keep people coming back. “The credit goes to Glenn and the kitchen for putting together the menu,” gushes Wrigley. “The Shepherd’s Pie and Fish & Chips are still the biggest sellers by far. I snuck in and tried the fish-and-chips when I was checking out the place before I bought it, and I swear they [are] the closest I’ve had to being at a proper British ‘chippy.’ When I visit my dad back home, we’ll eat at a different chippy every night.”
The beer selection features eight British beers on tap plus three domestic crafts, usually from local breweries. Fuller’s ESB, London Pride and Boddington’s are the workhorse Brit beers, and the bar staff takes pains to pour them in full 16-ounce pints in the proper glassware (i.e. darker beers go in “knobbly” mugs). Wrigley hopes to add some more scotches to their full selection of spirits, but notes, “We’re not trying to replace the Oak Bar.”
Fleet Street aims to attract more locals going forward. “We’re not going to make massive changes. I might add some comfy couches and make some tweaks to the decor. But with so many new condos and apartments downtown, we want locals to consider this a refuge from Lower Broad. We’re not getting a lot of locals in here yet, but we want to offer them something a little more laid-back, so hopefully we can become a favorite destination.”
If you haven’t been by Fleet Street in awhile, drop by for a pint and a pie!
