Evening Standard
27 Sept 2025
Old Crown (Girton)
London’s Evening Standard featured The Old Crown in Girton as its “Country Pub of the Week,” spotlighting the venue’s welcoming village charm and “first-rate Nepalese cooking”. Reviewer David Ellis noted the pub still feels “proper” – with good beer, a cozy atmosphere and even dogs at the hearth – yet now draws crowds for its authentic Nepalese curries, cooked to order with the aroma of garlic and chili spices filling the air. He observed that the kitchen continually tweaks the menu based on feedback, and “the changes keep locals coming back,” a testament to how The Old Crown has successfully adapted to thrive by offering something novel in a traditional setting.
Visit South Cambs
01 Sept 2025
White Horse (Waterbeach)
Located at the heart of Waterbeach, the White Horse has been transformed into a relaxed, contemporary pub-restaurant showcasing a diverse Nepalese menu. Dishes are prepared with authentic ingredients and traditional recipes, offering guests a rich, flavorful dining experience. The pub remains a community favorite – serving a wide range of beers, wines and cocktails – and is both family and dog friendly. With its spacious outdoor area and regular Sky/TNT Sports screenings, it provides a warm, lively atmosphere for casual drinks, meals, and social gatherings alike.
The Queen Elizabeth (King’s Lynn)
Formerly The Wildfowler, The Queen Elizabeth in King’s Lynn reopened in June 2025 after a £100,000 refurbishment by Star Pubs under new Lapen Inns ownership. The pub unveiled an authentic Nepalese food menu – served alongside classic pub dishes – making it the only pub in the area offering Nepalese cuisine. The revamp added extensive outdoor seating for 200, heaters for year-round alfresco dining, and created five new jobs. Lapen Inns director Subodh Gautam said the Queen Elizabeth will provide “competitive prices, great quality food and drinks” in a comfortable community environment, with plans for summer barbecues and weekly live music to engage locals.
Pub & Bar Magazine
10 Jun 2025
The Queen Elizabeth (King’s Lynn)
Industry press noted Lapen Inns’ expansion to an eighth venue with the opening of The Queen Elizabeth in King’s Lynn. The group renamed the former Wildfowler pub and invested in a £100,000 refurbishment, in partnership with Star Pubs, to refresh the site. Led by founder Subodh Gautam, Lapen Inns has built a distinctive model of community pubs offering popular Nepalese food. “The Queen Elizabeth ticks the boxes – great community around it, good location and in good repair,” remarked Star Pubs’ Nick Paul, expressing confidence in the pub’s future as a neighborhood hub with a unique dining offer.
The Morning Advertiser
10 Jun 2025
The Railway (Whittlesey)
Lapen Inns’ journey began with The Railway in Whittlesey – their first pub, taken on in 2021 as a Star Pubs lease. Within ten months the once-struggling Railway was transformed into a bustling pub-restaurant celebrated for its vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere, regular sports screenings, and an enticing Nepalese menu. This success set the template for Lapen Inns’ expansion: The Railway’s blend of a welcoming community vibe with affordable, high-quality Nepalese cuisine proved to be a “perfect” model for the current climate, demonstrating how a unique food offer can reinvigorate a local pub and win over its community.
The Cambridge Foodies (Blog)
28 May 2025
The Corner House (Cambridge)
The Corner House in Cambridge recently introduced a full Nepalese dining experience, making it the sixth Asian cuisine spot on Newmarket Road. The pub is split into a lively bar area for casual drinks and sports, and a dedicated dining space for its Nepalese restaurant menu. Cambridge Foodies praised the variety and authenticity of the dishes – from mint-infused “Himali” lamb curry to a coconut-based Pokhareli fish curry – noting that the Corner House “stands out” on a street saturated with curry houses by offering a unique fusion of Nepalese flavors and British pub hospitality.
CAMRA (North Beds)
10 Apr 2025
Prince of Wales (Bromham)
The Prince of Wales in Bromham has been revitalised as a modern, family-friendly village pub under Lapen Inns. It features a single long lounge (seating ~80) plus spacious front and rear beer gardens for the community. Alongside traditional home-cooked pub meals, the pub now offers authentic Nepalese specialty dishes every evening after 5pm – a unique fusion that has broadened its menu and appeal.
Cambridge Edition Magazine
20 Sept 2024
Old Crown (Girton)
Cambridge Edition profiled The Old Crown’s “royal makeover” in Girton, crediting Subodh Gautam and his team at Lapen Inns for revitalising the 19th-century thatched pub. In the wake of pandemic challenges, the new owners turned the Old Crown around by blending traditional pub comforts with unique Nepalese cuisine. Following earlier successes at The Railway (Whittlesey) and The Bell (Sawtry), Lapen Inns brought the same community-centric ethos to Girton – fostering a friendly atmosphere, quality ales, and a diverse menu of Nepalese dishes that have put this historic pub back on the map.
Cambridge Edition Magazine
20 Sept 2024
The Bell (Sawtry)
The Bell in Sawtry, once a historic village fire station, found new life in June 2023 when Lapen Inns took over and introduced its signature Nepalese dining concept. Cambridge Edition noted that this was Lapen’s second project (after Whittlesey), and that the team “replicated the winning formula to the delight of local patrons”. The Bell now offers a friendly, family-focused pub atmosphere coupled with a unique Nepalese menu – a fusion that has rejuvenated the pub’s fortunes by drawing curious locals and maintaining the classic community pub spirit.
The Cambridge Foodies (Blog)
16 Aug 2024
Old Crown (Girton)
Local food bloggers covered the Old Crown’s transition to Nepalese dining shortly after Lapen Inns took over. They were relieved to see the beloved Girton pub retained its name and stunning exterior, while the interior got a tasteful contemporary update that “mixes modern design with traditional features” and plenty of space for guests. The review highlighted an extensive menu – well over a dozen Nepalese dishes plus pub classics and even Nepalese desserts like Kheer – and praised the curries for their thick, creamy sauces and tender meats. The bloggers noted that the Old Crown now offers “something a little different” from the usual Indian/Bangladeshi curry houses, making it an exciting new draw for local diners.
The Barley Mow (Hartford)
The historic Barley Mow in Hartford was reopened under new Lapen Inns management on 1 August 2024, introducing a Nepalese twist to this community pub. It now specializes in home-made Nepalese cuisine served alongside traditional pub favorites, re-establishing the Barley Mow as a warm, family-friendly village hub.