An historic St Albans venue opposite the Clock Tower is undergoing a relaunch with a refreshed team and quirky new brand. The Herts Advertiser exclusively spoke with the bar's new owner ahead of the opening later this month.
Tequila Mockingbird will be serving up cocktails and DJ sets to St Albans customers from March 20 following a full refurbishment of The Snug site in the city centre.
This will mark the first major change for the Grade II-listed Fleur de Lys building in French Row since The Snug's arrival in 2007.
At the helm will be managing director Jonathan Bas, who took over The Snug brand and its bars in August last year.
“When we took ownership last August, the priority wasn’t to rush into a rebrand. We wanted to properly understand St Albans - the people, the pace of the city and what makes a night out here different," he began.
"We’ve spent time listening and learning, and we felt there was an opportunity to introduce something slightly more premium while still keeping the fun, late-night atmosphere people enjoy."
Tequila Mockingbird was originally founded in Putney, London in 2015. The chain is known for premium cocktails, vibrant interiors and high-energy DJ nights - all elements Jonathan felt were a "strong fit" for St Albans.
The French Row building has undergone a much needed full interior and exterior refresh, including upgraded décor, enhanced lighting and sound systems, massively increased toilet capacity, restored frontage to maintain the historical features, and a brand-new private karaoke room available for group bookings.
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"On a personal level, this opening means a lot to me," Jonathan continued.
"I started my career in hospitality working as a bartender at The Bell in St Albans while studying at the University of Hertfordshire, so coming back to the city now as a venue owner feels like a real full-circle moment.
"We’re excited to bring that energy to St Albans, shaped specifically around what this community wants.”
The St Albans venue promises to be cocktail-led, focusing purely on "drinks, music and good vibes".
Guests can expect creative cocktails, a strong spirits selection, daily happy hours, and DJs through to 2am at weekends. Bottomless brunches will be launching in time for summer.
A private karaoke room will also be available to hire, designed for groups of up to 25 people.
Tequila Mockingbird will be the latest venue to inhabit the French Row unit which has a history dating back to the Middle Ages. An urban legend even claimed that King John of France briefly stayed in the building after his capture at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356.
Initial opening hours are as follows: Wednesday from 4.30pm to midnight, Thursday and Friday, 4.30pm to 2am, Saturday 2pm to 2am and Sunday 2pm to midnight. These will be "expanded" as summer draws in.
To find out more visit https://www.tequilamock.com/stalbans.
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