I was recently invited to visit The Old Lion at Harborough Magna, Warwickshire which reopened its doors in September 2024 following a closure of almost six months during which time a complete refurbishment & upgrade of all of the pubs interior fixtures & fittings & the outside facade were completed. Harborough Magna is a small village of about five hundred residents, located about four miles northwest of Rugby on the B4112 road, a mile south of the M6 motorway and a mile north of the Oxford canal.
The Old Lion in Harborough Magna, has a history dating back to the 18th century. The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book and there are a number of very old houses in the village some dating back to the 17th century and was once home to several sawmills that employed many of the village workforce. The pub was previously known as The Golden Lion and was rebuilt after a terrible fire in 1986.
Chef patron, Harishankar Krishnamurphy, who also owns The George at Kilsby, who took over The Old Lion at the end of 2023, has taken his inspiration for The Old Lion’s exciting menu from top Indian restaurants in London & Birmingham. His plans for a new look at The Old Lion slowly developed into a major refurbishment.
Harishankar outside The Old Lion at Harborough Magna with its fresh exterior and new logo
“We originally aimed to close for only a short amount of time, but I had a vision of an exceptional menu filled with modern Indian cuisine and I knew the space deserved to be distinctive too. It’s taken a little while, but it had to be right. Whether customers come to The Old Lion to have a drink in the bar, taste our beautiful Indian flavours or enjoy a classic British dish, I want them to have an experience to remember.”
“ With hand-crafted furniture from one of the major heritage and arts hubs of India, Rajasthan, we were looking forward to the opening and to hear what previous visitors thought about the transformation and our new flavoursome menus.”
Yusef, the Operations Director at The Old Lion and The George at Kilsby
When my wife & I entered the Old Lion, we were warmly welcomed by staff. The seated bar takes up most of front facing aspect of the pub, splitting the pub comfortably into two sections, the large beautifully decorated 90-cover restaurant, opens up like a Tardis to the rear. Plans are in place to transform the large paved front garden during the spring of 2025 into a outdoor eating & drinking space.
The contemporary Indian menu was devised by Harishankar and executive chef Durai, who is classically trained in Italian and Indian cuisine and has worked in several high-end restaurants in cities such as Dubai. Harishankar has also worked globally and trained under 3 Michelin starred chef George Blanc, in Vonnes France.