Beloved city centre pub The Beehive is to close down and relaunch following a "substantial investment", with long serving landlady Frances Lloyd heartbroken to be saying goodbye.
The Beehive, based on Paradise Street, has been a firm fixture in the city, in one capacity or another, for more than a century. During its tenure, it has maintained a loyal group of regulars, as well as staff that have worked at the venue for years.
The Greene King venue stands out when walking through the metropolitan area of Liverpool ONE thanks to its traditional appearance and old fashioned charm, but this is all set to change. The bar area, lounge and toilets will all be completely overhauled, and there'll also be new fixtures, fittings, and signage.
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Landlady Frances Lloyd is "gutted" to be leaving the popular pub, but she was unable to carry on behind the bar after a series of devastating personal setbacks. In 2020, her husband died of covid after working alongside her for years.
Then, she suffered a stroke leaving her "physically unable" to complete many of the manual tasks often required in a pub, and bar work in general. Speaking to the ECHO, Frances, 65, said: "If I hadn't been ill or lost my husband, I would never have given up my lease. My husband died of covid - right at the beginning - and doing the pub on my own after all those years together was really hard going.
"Then, dealing with the stress of all that, I think led to the stroke. I would never have left ever, I would have got another lease. I haven't got the strength anymore otherwise I would still be behind that bar.
"I see my staff doing it and I'm not physically able to join in or help them do it anymore which hurts - that's the reason I'm getting out. It's going from me to another couple - it's not going to be a traditional pub as such, they're moving with the times. It's not my pub, it's Greene King's so I don't get a say in it."
Images on Greene King's website show the proposed changes to the venue, including new frontage and a revamped layout of the surprisingly spacious interior. The pub is often rammed with customers, from locals to tourists from across the globe who make a point of returning to the pub whenever they visit Liverpool.
It's set to shut up shop and then relaunch following a "substantial investment". According to Greene King's website, the new Beehive "will be aimed at the 18-50 market with a focus on live sport".
It also states on the website: 'The pub is currently dated and the investment will seek to improve all areas of the site. The bar area, lounge and toilets will all be completely overhauled, as well as there being all new fixtures and fittings and signage.'
Frances continued: "As far as I know, it's not going to be an old fashioned, traditional pub. Obviously, I am gutted - we're losing too many old fashioned pubs. Everything tends to be geared towards these expensive places with wine and cocktails.
"It may still keep traditional beer which would be a good thing, but I don't know. It's a cosy, traditional, old fashioned pub and it's going to be completely gutted. The big companies don't think there's any need for [this kind of venue] and you can't fight them on that.
"I've seen some pictures and it will look nice and very clean - and modern - but it's not going to be my pub and it's upsetting. I don't think the new décor will have all that tradition."
Frances has worked with the same staff members for a number of years, and is hopeful the new changes to The Beehive won't result in an entirely new staff. She said: "My personal worry is that I just hope they maintain I've had a really good staff, and [they] look after them like I did it. I don't want the staff being pushed aside.
"I just hope they see the potential in my staff - they've been with me a long time so it's a big change for them, too. It impacts on everybody a change like this - I just hope the staff are looked after the way they deserve to be.
"My clientele are all older so I hope they get looked after [too] but we can only wait and see. It's so well known - it's been a meeting place for so many for years. We've had people from the Isle of Man and Jersey coming up every Christmas to see it and visit us, and see the decorations."
Frances added: "I don't know what's going to happen. I wish the new couple all the best, it's a new venture for them and I really do wish them all the best - it's just sad we're losing the traditional for the new."
Frances' last day will be February 27, though she expects to close The Beehive three weeks prior to this in order to clear everything out and make way for the new owners and the proposed renovation plans.
A Greene King spokesperson said: "We have plans to renovate The Beehive and give it a new lease of life as a pub the local community can be proud of and which future generations can enjoy for years to come. It's early days and we hope to provide more details in the future." The Beehive is based at 7 Paradise Street, Liverpool, L1 3BL.
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