The Farmers Arms in Burscough to undergo a major upgrade

Work is to start at The Farmer’s Arms in Burscough on 31^st January on a major £500,000 upgrade by Heineken owned Star Pubs & Bars¹ and Crosthwaite & Gilpin Ltd owned by Chris and Jon Nevin.  The intention is to create a great canal side pub for the whole of the area, near and far.

The pub will reopen in early April in time for Easter and will be recruiting for 30 new jobs offering career opportunities within Crosthwaite & Gilpin Ltd and the other hospitality businesses owned and operated by Chris and Jon Nevin.  The Farmer’s Arms will be their third pub to open in two years – the other ones being the popular Golden Lion in Rainford and Bay Horse in Worsthorne, Lancashire.

Inside, the pub will be remodelled from top to bottom, inside and out creating a contemporary and beautiful pub.  The kitchen will also be fully remodelled and up to date kit installed to allow the new menu to be delivered day in day out.

The Cedar clad garden room with its view of the canal, swans and barges via the all-round bifold doors will also allow for the new terrace and canal side seating to be fully appreciated.  An outdoor / indoor ambience will be achieved by wall mounted and freestanding plants, olive and green décor, basket style lanterns, botanical prints and an eclectic mix of furniture.

Herringbone parquet and plank style timber flooring is being fitted in the dining room with booth style seating and velvet covered tub dining chairs completing the look.  The bar / snug area will have a mix of soft seats by the fire, mid height stools and table and fixed seating.

The exterior of the Farmer’s Arms is being given a facelift, including new signage and festoon style lighting. Tables and chairs are also being overhauled and added to create more space for alfresco eating and dining.

The food at The Farmer’s Arms will use local produce throughout the menu complemented by a weekend specials menu. The pub will be open for weekend brunch from 9 am and food will be available from 12pm till 9pm daily. For the children and mid-week diners the pub will also offer a choice of smaller plates from the main menu. Game Pudding, Moule Marinere, French Onion soup, slow braised shoulder of lamb, pan fried goosnargh chicken and duck breast and of course fresh fish and chips will be on offer as well as Sunday lunch with all the trimmings. There will also be a wide range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten free dishes available to view via the website.  Barista style coffees will be on offer to drink inside or out as well as fully stacked hot chocolate and cakes to enjoy in the pub or take away on walks and bike rides.

For those getting together for drinks there will be a great wine list, craft beers, premium lagers, as well as an extensive range of gins, both local and the familiar.

Chris said of their plans: “We love the canal side location of The Farmer’s Arms and that you can see the Pennines in the distance.  It’s a lovely albeit tired pub with loads of potential. Our ethos is all about doing simple things well. So with our experienced manager, Ali Coxon at the helm, our intention is to offer great food and drink and excellent service in a top-quality, warm and welcoming environment – everything you could wish for in a pub with an amazing location and lovely area to both live in and visit.

“The Farmer’s Arms location makes it a great place to pop in for a coffee, a meal or a fireside drink and to socialise with friends.  It will be family, dog and bike friendly and, with nearby moorings, is ideal for those on the canal. The garden room seats 50-60 making it a great place to use for functions.”

David O’Brien, Star Pubs & Bars Business Development Manager said: “Chris and Jon have done an amazing job over the last two years creating fantastic popular village pubs. They have worked hard to deliver the type of food, drink and ambience that people want whilst retaining the unique characters of each pub.  With further housing being developed in the area and a winning approach to hospitality, I feel sure The Farmer’s Arms will be as successful for them and for the village and wish the team well.

“Heineken is a passionate supporter of the great British pub and has spent £70m on pub upgrades in 2020 and 2021, despite the pandemic, to ensure they continue to appeal to their local communities and are sustainable in the long-term. This investment will take The Farmers Arms to a whole new level.”

The Farmer’s Arms will be taking bookings on their website www.thefarmersarmsburscough.co.uk from February.