Morley, founder of the storied South Tampa pub and restaurant, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the Mad Dogs at 4115 S MacDill Ave. will close after Sunday.
He was in the car with longtime business partner and co-owner of Mad Dogs, Rick “The Colonel” Craig, and both of them were in their feelings about the next chapter, albeit in different ways.
“It’s very bittersweet for me. I’m definitely more emotional about it than Wilton is,” Craig told CL. “I mean, my customers are my friends, and it’s where all my friends meet. We’ve had discussions like, ‘Where are we going to go in the two weeks between?’”
Morley, for his part, said he’s slightly less sentimental than everybody else because he’s had to run Mad Dogs for 33 years. “So I’m quite glad that they’ve built this beautiful new place for us,” he added.
That place is Mad Dogs and Englishmen 2.0, which he’s opening in partnership with restaurateur Blake Casper, a McDonald’s heir whose first job was at Mad Dogs as a busboy.
An official opening date is not yet available, according to a representative for the new Mad Dogs, who told CL that the certificate of occupancy or temporary certificate of occupancy has not yet been issued.
While the Colonel said he’s not the best guy to talk about the menu, he promised that old staples like fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and bangers and mash will come over along with “new exciting dishes as well.”
A press release sent on Jan. 9 said, “Chef Jeff Clark will also be introducing inventive menu items such as Stuffed Peppadews, Aubergine Bolognese, and Tuna Tartare — alongside weekend brunch and traditional tea service.”
Morley said it was getting more and more difficult to run his pub, with more regulars leaving for the summer, and no liquor to sell, and thought about hanging it up several times. But his “old mate” Casper—who is behind other concepts like Oxford Exchange—said Mad Dogs must continue. Then Morley, Casper and the project’s architect took an overseas holiday in Reykjavík and made the plan for an upgraded Mad Dogs real.
“I said, ‘OK, if you really want to do it, that really, really sweet of you to do something, but do a real English pub,’” Morley explained, describing the current Mad Dogs are more of a bar or “little kind of Florida shack.”
The new spot—purchased last June by an entity linked to Casper for $2.1 million—is a 6,000-square-feet, double the size of the original, according to the representative, with more space for outdoor dining, TVs, and traditional Sunday roasts.
“This project is really meaningful because of my personal connection to the restaurant,” Casper wrote in the release. “We were very careful to honor Mad Dog’s special soul that was really brought to life by Wilton in the old space. Each design choice helps tell a story, all baked in the comfort, tradition, and hospitality that Mad Dog’s is known for. We look forward to creating more memories when we open our doors at our new home!”
Craig said most of the less than three dozen employees from the original Mad Dogs and Englishmen will follow him and Morley to the new spot, where they’ve also had to hire many more.
It’s still unclear how or if gift cards issued at the old spot will be honored at Mad Dogs 2.0, according to the representative.
Morley stopped short of saying the new spot’s decor was museum-esque, but it will be extremely British, with a history of England on the walls. The music will be extremely English as well (think The Clash, The Cure).
A rep for the new Mad Dogs said the new location has been reimagined and that guests will find a modern day take on a British pub.
On Monday, Jan. 20, the original Mad Dogs will host a memorabilia auction at 5:30 p.m.
While no one is disclosing much capital it’s taking for the upgrade, Morley told CL that nobody in England would spend this much on a pub.
“But that’s what we wanted, and that’s what we got, and I love it,” he said, admitting some kind of sentimentality about the new beginning. “I really am genuinely excited about what that’s going to look like in the new place.”
UPDATES
01/08/25 5:43 p.m. Updated with clarifications from a public relations representative from Mad Dogs 2.0
01/13/24 3:50 p.m. Updated with information from a press release detailing the changes, and information on a memorabilia auction.
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South Tampa’s new Mad Dogs and Englishmen opens next week
This article appears in Jan 2-8, 2025.