JD Wetherspoon has confirmed the re-opening date of one of their Merseyside pubs after a £3m transformation.
The Master Mariner, in New Brighton, opened in 2013 on a site once occupied by RJs and the Playas Lounge nightclubs. Wetherspoons bought the neighbouring Lacy’s Bar in 2015 and was slammed for not developing the "eyesore" building, but their proposal to expand and create a bigger pub on the seafront was approved by Wirral Council last summer.
The Master Mariner closed in March, when building work began on the site. The pub’s existing staff have been relocated to other Wetherspoons in the area while the work is being carried out.
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Now a spokesperson for the pub chain has confirmed the pub will re-open its doors on Tuesday, August 30. Extensive work is being carried out at the site while the multi-million pound overhaul takes place, with a fence having been installed for safety reasons.
The transformation will see the pub’s ground floor customer area double in size as the bar will stretch across the back of the current Master Mariner and Lacy’s Bar sites. The new-look pub will also feature a brand new garden at the front, plus new staff facilities, with 50 new staff members set to be recruited.
Some have been frustrated with the slow progress of Wetherspoons' development. In 2019 a Mickey Mouse mural was painted on the side of the building in what appeared to be a protest against the pub chain. But Vicky Willocks, manager of The Master Mariner, believes the pub's expansion will provide a huge boost to the local area.
She 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.”
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