The owner of a former Burnham-On pub who is overseeing a project to turn it into a new Indian restaurant has announced his opening plans.
Somerset Council has granted South Indian Cuisine Ltd permission to operate ‘Spice And Barrel’ in the former Old Pier Tavern on Pier Street, bringing the long‑vacant building back into use after the pub’s closure in August 2024.
Owner Jeff Paulson told Burnham‑On‑Sea.com this week that the final stages of work are now underway.
“It’s coming together well and we hope to open at the end of February or early March,” he said. “There is still work to do on the utilities, but a lot of the refurbishment is complete.”
He added that the venue will provide a freshly cooked menu of South Indian dishes alongside a full pub offering. “We will be a combined pub and restaurant with regular live entertainment as well,” he said.
The new licence allows the venue to open from 9am to 11pm Sunday to Thursday, and from 9am to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. It also permits live and recorded music, the sale of alcohol, and late-night refreshments on weekends until 1am.
Town councillors at a recent planning meeting welcomed the proposal, saying it will bring the vacant ground floor of the building back into commercial use. The pub closed down in August 2024.
