New 'Lease' for Life @ The Goth in Centenary Year!

'Surprise' as Management Team Takeover at The Goth in Prestonpans

The current leaseholders at The Prestoungrange Gothenburg in Prestonpans have surprised many indwellers by enthusiastically agreeing terms for the senior management trio there since the reopening to take over a sub-lease till 2014 with a built in option to buy.

From January 1st 2008, as The Goth's Centenary Year dawns, Carol Black, Andrew Laurie and Anne Taylor working as Partners will replace the Baron of Prestoungrange's family as the front line operators. [They are shown here all smiles after they received Runner Up Awards for Best Bar Meal and Customer Service at the East Lothian Food and Wine Awards Ceremony at Aberlady's Kilspindie Hotel on September 26th.]

click to enlarge the images


Anne Taylor, with the Arts Festival since 2001 and Chief Executive of The Goth since it reopened in July 2004, is delighted and looking forward to the new challenges and the ever evolving future of The Goth in the community which 'Gothenburg Principles' demand.

“It's a fantastic opportunity but also a great responsibility. The Goth, with its Principles, has had a very special role in the community since 1908 and that is as significant now as it ever has been. The Baron and his family have resurrected The Goth since 2004 to national as well as local acclaim. And their commitment to the arts in town has been quite amazing. We have won English Heritage, CAMRA, Forth Radio and East Lothian Enterprise top awards at The Goth.

“However, in line with the sustainable regeneration principles that have driven the arts festival these past ten years since the Baron was infeft at Prestoungrange and Dolphinstoun, leadership is expected to evolve. Each new cadre is expected to make its own unique contribution. My senior management colleagues and I know full well we shall have the support of nigh on 1000 Goth Members and myriad artists as we start to deliver the next century at The Goth.

“Rest assured our commitment to the arts and community will grow ever stronger with a programme of monthly exhibitions in The James Park Bistro already emerging and a very great deal of fun to be enjoyed throughout Centenary Year and beyond.”

Carol Black, Front of House Manager, explained: “We have done our customer research and are raring to go in Centenary Year. We will always be developing our links with Goth Members and, as they have suggested, doing some restructuring of Chef Andrew Laurie's brilliant services from the kitchens and reviewing all our opening hours and days. We have for instance just joined the Britain-wide Daily Telegraph gastropub/ restaurant promotional campaign with fine Bordeaux wines and we shall be making a lot more food available in the James Fewell Bar. And rest assured that those Prestonpans Fowler's Ales brewed by Craig Allan will forever be available with his BrewSets to learn from."

Chef Andrew Laurie is especially keen to offer ever greater food. “We are going to create excellent weekday bar lunches and to develop weekends not only for our Sunday lunches but also for restaurant dining on Fridays and Saturdays. And needless to say every and any function that is needed in the Thomas Nelson Suite and Lord Mayor's Bar upstairs will be welcome. And we are promoting these services not just for our loyal Panners but also for the literally thousands of incomers into the new housing to the south and east of the Pans and in neighbouring Cockenzie and Port Seton. They are as much heirs to the town's Goth as the rest of us and we believe their social integration here can only be for the good of the Pans community at large.”

Dr. Gordon Prestoungrange, the Baron of Prestoungrange who turns 70 this year, is truly well pleased with the Management Takeover. “The senior team are excellent hospitality professionals and have been architects of the Goth's successes thus far building sales in 2006 in excess of £500,000 and enabling the arts to flourish in the town. My family and I are delighted that the senior management trio want to take this leap forward. The Three Harbours Festival was the first major spin out initiative followed by the Battle of Prestonpans Heritage Trust and Friends of Cuthill Park. Now in 2008 we are to see Davie Logan's 'PansBands' leadership of the The Annual Music and Ale Festival, a new framework for the Arts Classes and this latest initiative at The Goth. It's all very very encouraging.

“Rest assured my family and I are still hereabouts and will be doing all we can as and when asked and/or opportunities present themselves to ensure the sustainable regeneration campaign in Prestonpans stays rolling ahead.”