Churchill's: New name, same old spirits

Churchill's: New name, same old spirits
July 27, 2009
By Katie Knickerbocker
Star Community Newspapers

McKinney pub offering more than food and drink downtown

Drinks from the bar aren’t the only spirits lingering around Churchill’s pub in downtown McKinney. The restaurant, formerly called The Londoner, recently changed names but new owners Marie Briton and Erin Elwood assure they’ve still got the same regulars, alive and otherwise.

“We have ghosts in the building,” Elwood said. The location is on the map for the Legends of McKinney Ghost Walk.

Briton said the Texas Paranormal Advanced Research Team recently conducted observations onsite in May, 2009, and produced a report stating the voice of a man was heard saying, “Ya’ll must be crazy.”

The majority of the paranormal activity is all upstairs and mainly around the ladies restrooms, Briton said. Before becoming owner, Briton worked as the general manager of the restaurant and said she’s heard the voice of the spirit herself.

“I just shout at it and say ‘Enough is enough,’” Briton said. “I don’t think it’s a bad energy. I think it’s cantankerous but I don’t think it’s bad.”

Elwood said as the new owners they plan to do research to figure out exactly what the history of the 100-year-old building is.

“There have been a lot of alleged histories so we want to sort through them,” Elwood said. “It’s such a neat old building with so much history. We hope to get old photos up on the wall.”

The English pub changed owners in early June and Elwood said as part of the deal they agreed to change the name. After a few weeks of taking suggestions, surveying customers, and tossing around several different ideas, they landed on Churchill’s, inspired by Winston Churchill.

“Most of our regulars still fondly call it ‘the pub,’” Briton said.

Along with the new name, the new owners are making a few cosmetic changes; repainting the outside of the building in off-white, black, gold, with red-trimmed windows, installing an outdoor patio, and lightening up the downstairs dining room to make it more lady-friendly.

They’ve also started serving breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays offering dishes like French Toast with Nutella and Camden Lox Croissants (a croissant with salmon and cream cheese served with fruit).

Briton said the restaurant will keep their traditional dishes like Fish and Chips and Shepherds Pie, as they try to lighten up the menu for the summer and add some amazing desserts.

“According to our sources we have the best burger on the square,” Briton said, and to her knowledge they’re the only restaurant on the square that serves the Franconia, a local beer brewed in McKinney.

This year, the pub will be promoting the English football season with calendars of games posted on their Web site and specials and events during games. They’re also planning a grand reopening event in August.

“We’ve had a lot of support from the city as we transitioned to new ownership,” Elwood said. “This is a great neighborhood to be in and the Main Street board has been wonderful.”

Briton said their regular customers have been extremely supportive and she’s grateful for their patronage.

“If it wasn’t for them, this little English pub on the corner wouldn’t be here,” Briton said.

So whether it’s for the different varieties of beer, the comfy sofa upstairs, the English soccer on TV, or the chance to glimpse something supernatural, Churchill’s is a spot downtown not to b
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