The tenants of a historic town centre pub say it will be 'at the heart of the community' as the establishment opened its doors for the first time in five years.
Father and son team Andy and Tommy Golden set themselves the ambitious task of restoring The Prince William Pub on Bradshawgate which has been closed since 2017.
Prince Billy's welcomed customers on Friday night for a soft launch ahead of a grand opening yesterday evening, Saturday.
The pub dates back 150 years and is now known as ‘Prince Billy’s’ as a nod to the establishment’s long history in the town, as well as its place in the future of Bolton.
The front of the pub has also undergone detailed restoration work, which has been a big part of the renovations carried out.
Andy said: "It's really exciting and we're looking forward to become a big part of the Bolton community, it's been a long journey to get here because the building was derelict but we're there and we just hope that people will appreciate what we've done and come and support us.
READ MORE: Bolton: The Waggon & Horses to reopen, Westhoughton
"We're a family-run business and we've not got millions of pounds behind us, it's run by friends and family, a lot of the building work was done by friends and family.
"My mum's the cleaner, we've got my brother on the bar, my dad does the building work.
"We want to be the heart [of the Bolton community].
"Most things have been reclaimed, all the bricks in the bar and these pillars are from Bolton, if you go round the corner, it's all reclaimed doors.
"All this furniture is from other venues in Bolton that sadly didn't survive."
READ MORE: Doctor Who special 60th anniversary stars Ruth Madeley
Speaking to the Bolton News earlier this week, Andy said he restoring the pub felt like ‘’putting a little bit back into other people’s lives” and hoped former regulars would return for a drink.
Andy, who has around 30 years of experience working in hospitality, oversee the running of the pub, while his dad has taken on the role of the joiner, which he is skilled in, as well other building maintenance work.
Prior to taking on the pub, Andy said he and his dad were on the lookout for a new project when someone he knew who owned the building offered him the lease, which they signed in June.
The pub opened on Friday at 8pm to welcome punters in for a ‘soft launch’ ahead of its highly anticipated grand opening on Saturday.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel