Macclesfield pub reopens with Covid-secure measures after £1 million investment

Macclesfield pub, the Flower Pot, has announced its reopening, following a £1 million investment from owners Robinsons Brewery.

The pub, on Congleton Road in Macclesfield, was due to reopen at the end of March, however this date was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Originally built in the 1930s by Robinsons Brewery in the arts and crafts style, the Flower Pot is no stranger to opening in turbulent trading conditions: the Macclesfield pub first opened its doors in September 1939, shortly after the start of the Second World War and during the ‘blackout’. Its recent £1 million refurbishment is part of the owners ongoing commitment to investing in both its managed and tenanted estate of over 250 pubs across North West England and North Wales.

During the closure, the team have put measures in place to ensure a safe visit for all guests without losing the Flower Pot’s atmosphere. Now open, the pub is using a Track and Trace system utilising the pub’s Wi-Fi, one-way system, single use menus, table service and plenty of sanitiser stations.

As part of the refurbishment, the Macclesfield pub has received new seating and tables for its beer garden, known locally as ‘the beach’, as well as new landscaping and signage at the front of the Flower Pot. Inside, a solid oak bar with pendant lighting has been installed, as well as snug areas and a pool room for local teams. The colour scheme throughout the pub incorporates greens, browns and creams, with complimentary ‘flowerpots’ decorating the walls and furnishing.

Continuing at the helm of the pub is former manager Glenn Farrell, along with wife Sam and a team of old and new faces. General Manager, Glenn said:

The transformation of the pub is amazing, and it gives the Flower Pot a new lease of life. We’re proud that we’ve managed to maintain a great balance of the old with the new. The community has always been at the heart of everything we do so reopening the doors after such a long time away was a wonderful feeling. If you haven’t stopped by yet, we can’t wait to welcome you back!”

The pub marks one of three significant investments into their 2020 managed offering, together with the recent refurbishment of the popular Bulls Head in Hale Barns and the reopening of Y Bryncynan in Morfa Nefyn, North Wales.

John Robinson, Retail Operations Manager for Robinsons Brewery, commented:

We are delighted to have now reopened the Flower Pot. After several difficult months for our industry and the country as a whole, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than providing a safe and secure space for friends and family to enjoy a catch up with great beer and great food.”