A beloved Sunderland boozer has announced that it will re-open to the public this weekend, after closing its doors for the better part of three quarters of a year while undergoing renovation works.
Staff at the Cooper Rose at Albion Place, Sunderland, will be opening their doors to customers on Sunday January 23 - two days premature of their proposed relaunch date (January 25).
It initially closed in May 2021 for an expected four-months when owner J D Wetherspoon ploughed £2m into the improvement works including the installation of a stunning roof-top terrace - but punters will have to wait until February to make the most of that.
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As well as the exciting terrace, the bar and restaurant has undergone a full refurbishment – seeing a brand new bar layout, open plan kitchen where customers can watch their food get cooked, removal of the iconic light-up dance floor, and a new glazed roof light has been fitted.
Manager of the Cooper Rose, Nik Chapman, said: “I am delighted that The Cooper Rose is reopening on Sunday after a full refurbishment.
“We are sure that our customers will be impressed with the new-look pub.
“The new roof garden will also be a wonderful feature of the pub and that is set to open in mid-February.
“In total more than £2 million has been invested by Wetherspoon, highlighting the company’s commitment to the pub and to Sunderland itself. Hopefully it will act as a catalyst for other businesses to invest in the city.”
It closed in May 2021 and was expected to reopen on October 25 but works took longer than anticipated.
By October the opening date was deferred to November 16, then put back three more times to December 14, December 20, and finally January 25.
And with the opening date now set in stone, Sunderland residents who can't wait to return to their weekend local have expressed their excitement at returning for a drink and bite to eat.
One social media user wrote: "It’s about time ahah, we’ll have to go for some Cooper pitchers," while another tagging a friend, commented: "We need to go for a drink when it opens."
