A new team has taken the lease for the St Radegund pub – we are experienced beer industry professionals with a strong focus on quality.
We will be refashioning “TheRad” into an exemplar beer house – but it won’t just be about beer, expect good things across the board – we also love good wine, cider, sodas, spirits, coffee…
As well as quality a keyword for us is: independence.
There is a lot of work to do here – starting with a full strip-down and re-fit of the site. We do not have an exact reopening date locked in yet but are aiming for early 2023 – luck permitting. Keep an eye on our social media channels to follow our refurb story! (Most active on Twitter.)
Renovation highlights
Square nails
Various square nails, which seemed to be popular around the late 1700s to the early 1800s.
Cellar winch
An old winch hidden in the ceiling at the main entrance.
Hotel bell mechanism
We suspect this is a relic from The Garrick Head pub/inn that was demolished around 1900.
Cigarette box
A historical bit of discard, long forgotten after slipping through the floorboards.
Rusty stove
A forlorn rusty stove/heating element, revealed behind crumbly plaster in the cellar.
Slow jackhammer
The worn floor show years of full containers of beer dropped down the cellar hatch. Above this was just rubble.
Renovation log
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Look out below
More work in the downstairs area, mainly plumbing, plastering, ventilation and further preparation for the electrics.
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Hi. I'd like to talk to you about ducts
After a next-day delivery turned into an epic Evri-shamble here-and-back again, ducts were installed to future-proof the downstairs areas.
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Electrifying
Complete re-wiring and electrical infracture fixes.
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Looking on the inside
A big time to move onto the task of rewiring, plastering and painting primarily the ground floor.
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A new face
The front façade is spruced up with fresh paint and outdoor lighting.
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What lies beneath
Work begins on the cellar (walls and levelling the floor) and fixing the electrics of the building.
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Eyes within
The iconic arched (and somewhat cracked) windows were replaced with modern double glazed versions, as well as new doors to allow more light in.
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Feeling supported
Concerning ceiling structural elements were professionally replaced to structural engineer specifications and signed off by building control.
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Floored
Additional work on the joists and a new subfloor was installed.
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Engineering assessment
After being internally cleared, there were aspects that looked troubling so structural engineers were brought in. Somewhat to confirm our suspicions there was urgent need address these.
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Key items
Access to the building is finally granted. There is much to be done.
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The roof is.. renewed
Vital repairwork on the roof is completed.
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Offer accepted
After months on deliberation and legal wrangling, the offer to take on The Radegund was accepted despite the threat of a global pandemic.
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The Radegund seeks new landlords
Coldchain Bars discover that The Radegund was vacant and dream of its return as a great independent venue.
Behind the name
Contrary to an old pub sign depicting the coat of arms of the Austrian municipality Sankt Radegund bei Graz, the pub is named after the Frankish saint St Radegund. 12th-century Cambridge was once home to a Benedictine nunnery dedicated both to St. Mary and St. Radegund - its old site is where Jesus College (whose full name is “The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund”) was later constructed.
A Thuringian princess and later queen, Radegund left her husband to become a nun and eventually founded the nunnery of the Holy Cross at Poitiers where she is patron saint. Even as queen, she was known for her piety and great humility that Chlotar I had famously complained of having a nun rather than a wife.
Some spelling variants include Radagunda (the most common), Radagunde, Radagundis (latin) and Rhadegund. Interestingly, trawling through archived newspapers we have seen evidence of the pub being referred to as the Rhadegund.
St Radegund - Depicted in stained glass in The Basilica of Saint Clotilde, Paris.