North West Operators to Take on Two Star Leases Within Weeks of Each Other

North West operators, James Nolan and Dean Jones, are taking on the leases of two Star Pubs within weeks of each other – The Royal Oak in Aughton and The Black Bull in St Helens. A major £677,000 upgrade of The Royal Oak, which they are undertaking with Star Pubs, starts on 13th April.

The partners each have Liverpool-based sites of their own and came together a year ago to run The Black Bull on a temporary management agreement. The venture has been a great success, leading James and Dean to want to take on a substantive lease for the pub. They are also looking to scale up their combined pub operation substantially over the next 10 years and are exploring opportunities ranging from Wales to Preston and Warrington to Manchester.

Says James: “We have just had the 11th anniversary of my taking on The Deysbrook in Liverpool, my first Star Pubs lease, and Dean’s 11th anniversary at his freehold pub, The Lingmell Inn in Liverpool. Both have been a great success for us individually. Having experienced COVID and recession with city centre venues, we are now keen to take on community pubs in towns and villages where people can socialise on their doorstep. We’re looking for pubs with a wet/dry mix. Our experience is that if you get the right mix of good food, drinks, entertainment, staff and atmosphere, you will succeed, because a local community pub is more than just a pub – it’s a hub for the community, for all to enjoy and to feel safe and welcome.

“We’re excited to be injecting new life into The Royal Oak and are keen to create a great village pub for the whole community. It’s a highly desirable village with new housing developments arising continuously, and it has so much potential.”

The investment will see The Royal Oak enlarged and transformed into a top-quality, family- and dog-friendly traditional village inn, offering great quality pub food, local ales and a great selection of premium drinks. It will reopen in mid-June, with 20 new jobs created.

Funds are being spent completely overhauling the pub inside and out, including adding an extension to increase the pub’s dining capacity to 98. There will also be a new terrace spanning the front of the pub, offering alfresco dining for 40.

The commercial kitchen is being reconfigured and enlarged as part of the refurbishment to enable the pub to cater for more diners, offer a more comprehensive menu, and a new accessible loo is being installed.

The partners’ plans for The Royal Oak are to hold a regular quiz and put on special themed food evenings, including steak nights, curry nights, and burger & pint deals on live sport days. In the summer, the pub will host community events, such as family fun days and tribute artist events in the large rear garden, which includes an outside bar and seating for 80 guests.

Says Star Pubs Business Development Manager, Phil McWilliam: “Given the success of James and Dean’s latest venture, The Black Bull, I have high hopes for their plans for The Royal Oak. They completely transformed the fortunes of The Black Bull, and I am confident that they will do the same with The Royal Oak. They have a keen understanding of family-friendly community pubs and what people want. It’s a win-win for all.”