Admiral sails to rescue of flood-hit pub

The Albert in Hebden Bridge, before restoration work

Highlights of the recent investment programme include the transformation of The Albert, in Hebden Bridge which will re-open on August 25, following a £250,000 refurbishment project.

A spokesman said: “New licensee Victoria Percival, took over the pub and reopened the doors in late November 2015, only to be hit by the Boxing Day floods which saw the River Calder flood the town, submerging The Albert and forcing it to close.

“Admiral worked closely with Victoria and her team, funding a complete renovation of the pub, and putting in place flood defences to protect the pub in the event of future floods.

“The pub will reopen with a fantastic, newly refurbished bar, a brand new kitchen enabling it to launch a food offer for the first time and a relaxing lounge with a wood burning stove and open fires.

“Victoria and her team are also looking to recruit a new team in the area to work across the bar and pub kitchen.”

The Black Lion, in Bramley, West Yorkshire, had been closed before licensee Mark Stanford took over last year.

The pub’s prospects have been transformed after its interior and exterior were refurbished.

Andy Hodgson, the operations director at Admiral Taverns, said: “We have a fantastic estate of 96 pubs across Yorkshire which are at the core of their local communities.

“The supported tied model is an excellent route to running your own hospitality business in your local area and we work closely with our licenses to help them realise their vision for their pub.

“The last 10 months alone have seen us make a series of significant investments in 11 of our Yorkshire pubs totalling £750,000 with more projects in the pipeline.

“While each investment has addressed a different need, be it flood defences after the extreme flooding at Christmas, newly refurbished interiors... or welcoming exterior renovations, they allow these pubs to develop their offer to the local community, potentially creating more job opportunities and positioning each pub business for future growth.”