Fri 3rd Jan 2014 - Breaking News - Exclusive: Charles Wells and Gerard plan new concept Exclusive: Charles Wells partners ex-M&B executive for new concept: Bedford-based brewer and retailer Charles Wells is partnering former Mitchells & Butlers executive Chris Gerard to launch a new concept in Bedford. The De Parys Hotel, in De Parys Avenue, will re-open as d’Parys in February and feature a focus on nostalgia with a “tuck shop, a large collection of local artefacts and home-made gelato”. The £1.3 million renovation by Apostrophe Pub, a new company set up by Gerard, will feature “all that is great about Bedford from brewing, education and industry”. Alongside donated items from the Bedford community there will be memorabilia from the Charles Wells brewery and furniture inspired by Bedford’s industrial past. d’Parys’ managing partner Alfie Molinaro has invited Bedford residents to donate artefacts to the new site. He said: “The brand-new d’Parys will embody all that is great about our historic town. We will be selling Bedford-brewed beers in our contemporary bar, using locally sourced ingredients from the best Bedford has to offer and even have an old baker’s table and materials from the old Britannia Ironworks on display. We are now asking our fellow Bedfordians to donate their bit of Bedford to help us exemplify the town’s heritage throughout the building, whether it’s an old tie, or books from school days, or a photo which illustrates a favourite memory of the town.” Gerard rolled out Vintage Inns during a long career at Mitchells & Butlers. He has gone on to set up the award-winning Innventure, which operates six gastro-pubs, including the Cross Keys in Saffron Walden, a Charles Wells pub, and the Wellington in Welwyn, a Greene King site. The company also operates the Broadway in Letchworth, a high-volume carvery that proved a carvery operation can work highly successfully in a town centre location. Innventure’s D’arry’s Wine Shop site in Cambridge was used as a template for a potential managed division roll-out by Greene King. The d’Parys website describes the concept as “a new world-class, individual business with its own unique character shaped by the architecture, history and location of our building on De Parys Avenue in Bedford. Opening in February 2014, d’Parys will be all about premium d’rinking, d’ining, and d’reaming in the heart of Bedford. Open the door to d’Parys and you will find an all-fresh food restaurant, a Bedford beer led bar, a tuck shop offering nostalgic sweets complete with handmade gelato and 14 boutique bedrooms. (This is) all set within a transformed De Parys Hotel building boasting a unique mix of stylish and contemporary design features with lots of individual touches from Bedford’s heritage in schooling and brewing.” The Charles Wells partnership with Gerard is the latest example of the company’s ability to forge partnerships with high quality multi-site retailers – Yummy Pub Company, Steve Wilkins and Peach Pub Company and Mark Butler are among the company’s existing retail partners.