ENTREPRENEURS Jeremy and Debra Jones have started the ‘Foodsie 100’ menu in a bid to beat the credit crunch.

The new leaseholders of the Brierfield Hotel reopened the venue a couple of weeks ago.

And they have already injected a little light relief into the general doom and gloom generated by the financial crisis which has taken many businesses to the brink.

Now their revamped menu will follow the Stock Exchange’s FTSE 100, with the prices of food mirroring the ups and downs of the financial index.

Jeremy said: “As well as the standard menu, we have the ‘Credit Crunch Combination’ giving a total choice of 405 different dishes.

“The great thing about this deal is we have linked the price of the combo to the FTSE 100. When we opened the price of the meal was £5.55 (FTSE +£1).

“Today it has dropped quite considerably and the price has dropped so we call it the Foodsie100 rather than the Footsie100.”

The enterprising couple set up Welcome Taverns in 2006 when The Globe in Egerton came on the market. They relaunched it as the Thomas Egerton and the next year acquired the historical Chetham Arms in Turton.

Now, at a time when many businesses, large and small, are retrenching because of the credit crisis, Welcome Taverns has set out on a buying spree, declaring an ambition to acquire a portfolio of around 15 to 20 pubs within one hour’s drive of their Bolton HQ.

The husband and wife team have acquired two other pubs in Yorkshire in addition to The Brierfield in Blackburn Road.

At a time when five pubs are calling last orders for good every day and many more have signs up pleading for new tenants, Welcome Taverns is keen to expand.

Jeremy said: “We feel there is room to take on those tired and neglected pubs which need a makeover and then we can also do a lot with the food side.

“I suppose we are sticking to what we know. We take fairly run down properties, invest in a refurbishment and get the operation running properly.

“We hope to have around seven or eight pubs by next July and are aiming for a target of around 15 to 20 pubs in the next few years.”

l The hotel’s bookings diary was misplaced when the previous owner left.

Jeremy said: “We are concerned that people may have already made Christmas bookings without our knowledge. We really need anyone who has booked a function in the weeks up to Christmas to let us know.”