£620,000 Revamp To Reopen Iconic Wrexham Pub After Two-Year Closure

An historic Marford pub that has been closed since July 2024 is to reopen in time for Christmas, thanks to a £620,000 revamp starting in late October.

The investment in The Trevor Arms is being carried out by Heineken-owned Star Pubs, alongside brothers Matthew and Mark Laughton and their business partner Allan Spofforth. The trio of experienced hospitality operators already run successful venues in Chester and Leeds, including a popular pub, a high-end restaurant and a cocktail bar.

The overhaul will transform The Trevor Arms into a top-quality, family- and dog-friendly pub serving superb food and drink, with a stunning new garden and 20 redecorated letting rooms. Work will begin on 26th October, and the pub will reopen in early December, fully decorated for Christmas and serving a festive menu. A recruitment drive is now under way to fill the 25 new jobs being created.

The exterior works will see the Gothic-style Grade II listed building renovated and repainted, enhancing the centre of Marford. A new 60-seater garden will be developed at the front of the pub, complete with a large patio, festoon lighting and attractive planting.

The top-to-bottom refurbishment will upgrade the interior throughout, bringing out the building’s character and restoring features such as old beams and flagstone floors. The smart new décor will complement the historic building, parts of which date back to the 17th century, incorporating heritage colours, classic fabrics and traditional furniture. Three fireplaces will be brought back into working order, adding to the warm country pub feel.

In terms of layout, The Trevor Arms will feature a cosy snug, a spacious bar for drinks and socialising, a lounge area for informal dining and a separate restaurant. Opening onto the garden, the restaurant will have booths and banquette seating and will be available to book for functions of all kinds, from baby showers to birthday parties. In addition, there will be ten comfortable en-suite bedrooms offering hotel-style service for visitors to the area, plus a further ten letting rooms tailored to the needs of businesspeople and contractors working locally.

With a refitted kitchen and an overhauled cellar, customers can look forward to excellent food and drink. The seasonally changing menu will cater for all occasions, from light lunches and Sunday roasts to celebration dinners. The emphasis will be on freshly prepared, beautifully presented pub classics and gourmet specials, made from scratch using ingredients from local suppliers wherever possible.

The drinks selection will also be a cut above, spanning barista coffee, a carefully curated wine menu, cocktails shaken and stirred to order, and regularly rotating craft beers. New, state-of-the-art dispense equipment will ensure consistently perfect pints. Customers’ canine companions will receive a warm welcome, too, with treats and water bowls provided free of charge, alongside their own doggy menu.

In line with the ambition to put The Trevor Arms back on the map as a fantastic pub where the community can gather, there are plans for a pub quiz and live acoustic music events. The main bar will have screens showing TNT and Sky Sports, allowing customers to watch major sporting events and tournaments, including the Six Nations and Wimbledon, together.

Matthew Laughton says: “I spend a lot of time in the Marford area. It’s a wonderful place, and we feel very lucky to have found a pub here. The Trevor Arms is well known, and there’s been an incredible amount of interest in its future. We want it to be a proper pub, serving great food and drink, with an atmosphere that makes people feel really at home. Given The Trevor Arms’ lengthy closure, we’ll be consulting with customers and the community about any additions they’d like to see at the pub and refining it accordingly. We’re looking forward to welcoming people in and showing them the transformation. We’ll be celebrating the pub’s first Christmas since 2023 in style and will be open on Christmas Day, serving Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.”

Craig Foweather, Star Pubs’ investment manager, adds: “We’re delighted to be making such a massive investment in The Trevor Arms. It’s a very prominent and distinctive pub with lots of space. We want to do it justice, and the spend will bring out all its potential. Matthew, Mark and Allan don’t do things by halves; their other venues are all exceptional. We fully expect The Trevor Arms to follow suit, and customers can expect superior quality across the board.”

The Trevor Arms will open seven days a week, serving food from 12pm on weekdays and opening for breakfast at weekends.