British Beer Company Owner Fires Back at Coat of Arms

Gary Simon, owner of the new British Beer Company that will open later this spring on Hanover Street, wants to make peace with Roger Black, owner of the Coat of Arms Pub, but he took offense at having his new venture called a "theme park."

To whit, Simon wrote in an e-mail that he just returned from England where he met with the company that is building the authentic stain glass, bar and iron railings that will be installed in the new British Beer Company.

Black previously told Portsmouth Patch that he views Simon's chain of British Beer Company pubs as an artificial representation of a British pub. "We're trying to create an atmosphere, not a theme park," Black said.

He also didn't care for the way Simon was marketing the arrival of the British Beer Company on some of the front windows of the new restaurant's space when he posted slogans that read, "The British are coming."

In response to that, Black displayed a sign on the side of his Fleet Street pub that has been in Portsmouth since 1994 which read, ""The British have been here and supported the community since 1994!"

Black previously said he believes Simon fired the first salvo in the British beer pubs war between their two businesses when he posted that slogan, "The British are coming."

This week, Simon responded to Black's comments that the British Beer Company is "a theme park."

"Just to prove we're not a theme park. Just got back from England last night visiting the company making all of our stuff," Simon wrote in an e-mail.

Simon said he met with officials at Andy Thornton from West Yorkshire,  England. "They are Master pub craftsman that will be building our bar, booths decorative walls,stained glass, wrought iron railings, etc.," Simon wrote.

Simon previously told Portsmouth Patch that he hopes to open the new British Beer Company by May 1. When finished, it will be his company's 13th restaurant/pub, and he is spending $2 million to create the Portsmouth pub. Simon said he wants to have a good relationship with the Coat of Arms Pub as well as the city's other restaurants and bars. He believes there is enough business for everybody and said he hopes to reach out to Black and allay his concerns about his new British pub.