Waggon & Horses
Customers at the Waggon & Horses, a family run pub in Matley, Greater Manchester, were treated to a refreshed experience over Christmas and New Year after the venue underwent an interior revamp.
Part of the Robinsons Brewery group, the pub has been under the direction of Licensees Joe and Lorraine Smith for 19 years. In that time the venue has built an excellent reputation in the area for great, classic pub food and a cellar of well-kept cask ales and beer.
As a result it was identified by Robinsons for its 2016 refurbishment programme. Neil Robinson-Stanier, Director at Robinsons Brewery, spoke to Premier Hospitality about the project:
“The Wagon & Horses is a good example for us because we were refreshing a pub that was heavily invested in around nine years ago. That involved some major structural work including the building of some extensions. It’s the same tenants and this new work was very much a refresh scheme. It was an internal makeover to bring it up to date.
“It was done in conjunction with the tenants and their contribution was equal to ours. We replaced the timber floors, the lighting, refreshed all the F&F and put new units in. Overall it was a top to bottom refresh and is good example for us as a business of how an investment several years ago resulted in a willing tenant being put in a positon to reinvest and maintain trade for the next six to seven years.”
Work was finished in November last year, in time for the Waggon & Horses to prepare for the busy Christmas period. Whilst in the past there was an emphasis on keeping venues open as long as possible, Robinsons now have a finely tuned programme of work in place ensuring projects cause as little disruption as possible.
The bar area has also been opened and extended to create a bigger and better drinking area with more seating around it. With four hand pulls serving a range of Robinsons’ award-winning cask ales, a new draught line primed to pour a rotating range of kegged craft beers from around the world and a hand-picked selection of premium spirits and wines, the Waggon and Horses is set to be a favourite haunt for many years to come.
Alongside the refurbishment, the pub will continue to serve homely, comfort pub food with a new menu of old favourites and new dishes to explore.
