A well known Bury pub has reopened following a £400000 refurbishment that introduces three fireplaces, an upgraded kitchen and a redesigned indoor and outdoor layout.
The Blue Bell on Manchester Road has completed a major makeover funded by Manchester brewery Joseph Holt, which has owned the pub for more than two decades.
The renovation introduces three fireplaces across the dining room and the combined lounge and bar area, giving customers a choice of seating areas built around open fires.
Joseph Holt said the aim was to refresh the venue while retaining the features that draw people to established local pubs.
The project has also reconfigured the internal layout. The former lounge and public bar have been opened into a single flowing space designed to accommodate more visitors while maintaining a traditional pub setting.
Marc Broady, acquisition and development executive at Joseph Holt, said “Traditional pubs are all about roaring fires, real ale, great food and comfortable places to sit, and we’re so happy The Blue Bell can offer all of that and more.”
Mr Broady said the refurbishment was among the most striking transformations he had overseen.
He said “From the change in layout and the fireplaces to the furnishings and the more open feel, The Blue Bell really has been transformed. Traditional pubs are more popular than ever, and with this facelift we’ve managed to create a fresh, spacious venue that still keeps everything people love about a classic pub.”
Around £100,000 of the refurbishment budget was spent on the kitchen to support the pub’s food service. The Blue Bell was one of the first pubs in the brewery’s estate to introduce food.
Work on the building has also restored a long closed exterior doorway which had been boarded up for about 30 years. It has now been converted into a feature window as part of the redesign.
Outside, a new seating area has been created with a glazed screen intended to shield customers from wind and reduce noise from passing traffic.
Landlord Shaun Holland said the updated venue would continue to host regular events and welcome local groups.
“We host popular cabaret evenings and the weekly Chit Chat social group,” he said. “But given how fantastic the pub now looks, we’re planning even more events here and of course we’d love more community groups to meet here too.”
The Blue Bell occupies an early 20th century building and is part of Joseph Holt’s estate of more than 120 pubs across the North West.
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