Mount Brenton Pub in Chemainus is being transformed under the guidance of Rachael Scott-Screaton, who is also the owner of the Brass Bell Pub in Crofton.
Scott-Screaton took over operations of Mount Brenton Pub, which is located on the grounds of Mount Brenton Golf Course, in early March and renovations began in earnest so it could be ready to have a soft opening on March 17; St. Patrick’s Day.
She said Tom Morrissey, a singer from Newfoundland, regaled the large crowd who attended St. Patrick’s Day festivities at the pub and everyone had a great time dancing to the Irish tunes, despite it being a Sunday night and the fact that there was no advertising for the event, and that bodes well for the pub under her leadership.
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“There’s so much potential here at Mount Brenton Pub, which is open to the public and not just golfers,” Scott-Screaton said.
“The board at the golf course has been supper supportive of the work we have completed already and what I have planned, and they’re as thrilled with the possibilities as I am.”
Scott-Screaton, who is 33-years old, was the manager of the Brass Bell, a popular pub in the Crofton community, for four years before she took over the business in 2021 from Jill Mahal, who had owned it for 17 years before deciding it was time to retire.
She assumed ownership of the the Brass Bell Pub in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when the industry was suffering, but successfully managed to manoeuvre the business through those difficult times, and now it’s busier than its pre-pandemic days.
Scott-Screaton said Mount Brenton Pub had been closed since the end of January, and the board at the golf course had asked for proposals from entrepreneurs in the community to take it over.
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“Some members from the golf course who regularly go to the Brass Bell Pub talked me into submitting a proposal, and I was successful and immediately began renovations,” she said.
“We painted the whole place, fully renovated the kitchen, put in new shelving, constructed the bar area and basically ‘modernized’ the place before the soft opening. We’re looking to make it more into a sports bar rather than the restaurant that it was, and we have big-screen TVs coming as well as BC Lotto machines.”
Scott-Screaton said live entertainment is planned for the pub, and there will be karaoke nights.
As for the menu, she said the kitchen will offer pub-style foods similar to the Brass Bell, with a heavy emphasis on burgers, and there will be daily specials.
“We’ll also have healthier options, including chef and Greek salads,” Scott-Screaton said.
“I brought half of my senior staff from the the Brass Bell Pub to Mountain Brenton Pub and hired extra staff for both pubs. There are about 30 staff members in total now at both pubs.”
Scott-Screaton said she’s working up to 100 hours a week these days while working towards bringing Mount Brenton Pub up to her expectations and continues to oversee operations at the Brass Bell, while still trying to find time for her husband Tim and two-year old daughter Sawyer.
She said she’s kept very busy, but wouldn’t have it any other way, and she has the full support of her family.
“I’m so happy to be here at Mount Brenton Pub,” she said.
“A lot of the customers at the Brass Bell Pub are from Chemainus and they are happy to have this pub to come to now because it’s much closer. Our welcome here has been incredible.”
The official grand opening of Mount Brenton Pub will be held on April 1, and there will sales on beer that day.