Beloved city centre pub The Beehive is currently closed for major renovations - and it'll have a new name when it reopens.
Greene King has announced plans to invest £400,000 in the popular pub, which is based on Paradise Street. The Beehive is a Liverpool institution, operating in one capacity or another for more than a century.
Over the years, it has maintained a loyal group of regulars, as well as staff that have worked at the venue for years. The Greene King venue is a stark contrast to the modern and metropolitan buildings surrounding it in Liverpool ONE.
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With a traditional frontage and oodles of retro charm, the pub is a reminder of times gone by but after its revamp, it will be brought firmly into the 21st century. The bar area, lounge and toilets will all be completely overhauled, and there'll also be new fixtures and fittings, as well as new signage.
The watering hole confirmed its final day of trading as February 15, with renovations set to transform the pub while "preserving the pub's renowned experience and atmosphere". Following its investment, the pub will continue to be run by locally based operators who run other pubs in Liverpool and the surrounding area. As has come to be expected from The Beehive, it will continue to serve a wide range of beer and drinks.
Another major change to the pub will be its name - it will no longer be called The Beehive. Long serving landlady Frances Lloyd has decided to retire after 20 years behind the bar, with Greene King making the decision to "retire The Beehive name" in "honour of Frances' legacy and stewardship of the pub for the past two decades".
The pub company, and new operators Marc and Jess Edmunds, have plans to give the pub the new name of The Futurist when it reopens, in tribute to the historic Futurist Cinema which was located on Lime Street in Liverpool.
The cinema, which opened in 1912 as the Lime Street Picture House, closed in 1982 and was demolished in 2016. Renovation works to The Beehive began in February, with a view to the pub reopening in April.
Peter Cunningham, business development manager for Greene King Pub Partners, said: "As a local myself I am really excited to invest in The Beehive and make it a great and welcoming pub for all.
"Legacy is important and it's right and proper we feel to retire The Beehive name in honour of Frances' length of service at the pub. The Futurist is a fitting name as it's a tribute to the history of the area of Liverpool the pub is situated in."
Marc and Jess Edmunds, who will be taking on the pub, said: "We are excited to showcase this pub in a new light and retain a few of the older traditions as well. We wish Frances all the best and agree completely with the retiring of the Beehive name as her legacy of two decades at the pub is a brilliant achievement.
"With family ties to Liverpool, we understand the expectations the people of Liverpool have for their pubs. We have had great success in our sites so far, the most recent being The Red Lion in Parkgate which was done as a joint venture with Greene King. The pub was transformed from a small, dated village pub to a more vibrant and cosy place people were excited to visit. It is now a contender for pub of the year.
"We have a wealth of experience behind us with different styles of pubs and look forward to continuing our future in the industry." The Beehive is based at 7 Paradise Street, Liverpool, L1 3BL.
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