Brand new pictures show what JD Wetherspoons' New Brighton pub might look like after a £3m overhaul.
The company has started work on its pub in the Wirral seaside town, in plans which will see the former Lacy’s Bar brought back into use as part of an extension to The Master Mariner. The work means the venue is closed at the moment, but the new-look pub is set to open near the end of August.
The revamp will see the small ground floor bar stretch across the back of the current Master Mariner and Lacy’s Bar sites, with 50 new staff members recruited. The pub’s existing staff will be relocated to other Wetherspoon pubs in the area while development work is carried out.
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The pub chain has owned the building which used to be home to Lacy’s Bar since 2015, but has not developed it since then. Initially, the company wanted to build apartments at the site, but that plans never progressed.
In 2020, the company was granted permission to expand its pub next door, The Master Mariner, into the former Lacy’s Bar. The pub chain submitted an amended plan in 2021 which was also accepted by Wirral Council.
Some have been frustrated with the slow progress of the plan. In 2019 a Mickey Mouse mural was painted on the side of the building in what appeared to be a protest against JD Wetherspoon.
Commenting on Facebook at the time, Kate Searle said: "It's a statement about the state of the building, a piece of well-done graffiti art that makes a valid point!"
A nearby resident who regularly passes the graffiti went further and said: "The general feeling in New Brighton is that it's a disgrace Wetherspoons has allowed this beautiful building to fall into such disrepair and be an eyesore right on the most prominent position of our beautiful promenade. I want Spoons to do something with it or give it to someone who will, and fast."
At the time, company spokesperson Eddie Gershon said: “We are keen to build a beer garden to complement the pub. We have arranged for the surrounding area to be checked immediately to ensure that it is tidy and not an eyesore for local people.
“The building is in a state of repair and the company has built a fence around it for safety reasons.”
But The Master Mariner is now being transformed with the pub’s ground floor customer area set to be twice as big as it is currently. The new-look pub will also feature a brand new garden at the front, plus new staff facilities.
Vicky Willocks, manager of The Master Mariner, said: “We are delighted that the development is to take place. The £3m investment highlights Wetherspoons commitment to the pub, its staff and customers, as well as to New Brighton itself.
“We believe the new-look pub will be welcomed by our existing customers and also allow us to attract new customers. Hopefully the investment will act as a catalyst for other businesses to invest in the area too.”
