Heysham pub to get £850,000 makeover

The Royal Hotel in Heysham village dates back to the 18th century, and has adjoining buildings including a disused cottage, barn, warehouse and shop.

The pub’s owner Daniel Thwaites PLC has applied for planning permission to create a “community pub”, with letting bedrooms and more space inside.

The pub, in Main Street, is listed as an Asset of Community Value, and Thwaites said the work would “ensure the viability of the existing public house and restore the adjoining buildings to a habitable standard”.

Plans include an extension to the pub’s kitchen, an extension into the adjoining cottage at 9 Main Street, new decoration, flooring, openings and corridors, roof repairs, and new partition walls on the ground and first floor to create letting bedrooms.

Rick Bailey, chief executive officer at Daniel Thwaites, said: “The historic Royal Hotel at Heysham is currently in a terrible state and we are looking forward to transforming it into the best pub in the area.

“We are planning a substantial investment in the pub which will create new jobs in the village.

“The work will include development of the derelict barns and cottages and we are confident we will create a great pub that will be even more popular than it already is. We want The Royal to continue to be famous for its real ales and while it will be a traditional pub, its décor will be more contemporary in style.

“As you might expect from such a transformation, we are planning a substantial building programme, so it’s likely that the earliest the new-look Royal will be unveiled is Easter 2017.”

The planning report, which is currently being considered by the city council, concludes: “The adjoining buildings are disused and in a state of disrepair, leaking roofs and rotten window frames.

“Thwaites have recently purchased the premises and intend on spending around £850k in restoring and enhancing the building and rejuvenating its desirability, local character and distinctiveness.

“At the same time creating a viable business with a strong future with the added amenity of letting bedrooms.

“In the context of the overall proposals it is considered that the forming of openings within areas to the existing structure is far outweighed by the benefit of bringing the disused adjoining buildings into habitable use.”