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Good news for Port Sunlight enthusiasts: your favourite local watering hole, The Bridge Inn, has been acquired by Port Sunlight Village Trust, removing the uncertain future it once faced.
A private property business previously owned the Grade II-listed pub and leased it to national pub chain Greene King since 2015. It is home to a public bar, hotel, function rooms and restaurant, and one of Port Sunlight's key social hangouts.
The pub's history dates back to 1900. It was built by Grayson and Ould and started as a temperance hotel providing accommodation and refreshments but not serving alcohol.
Three years later, the pub was granted its alcohol licence and became Port Sunlight's only pub, and has remained as such since.
Port Sunlight Village Trust is an independent charity established by Unilever in 1999 to take over care of the village. The charity maintains the village's 130 acres of green spaces, a third of its 900 Grade II-listed houses and most of its public buildings.
The Bridge Inn will join the Trust's portfolio of commercial properties in Port Sunlight, which includes the Gladstone Theatre, Hulme Hall, Nettle Café, the Lyceum and other important buildings, as reported by The Business Desk.
There are no plans to replace Greene King as the leaseholders, and they'll continue to run the pub and keep its popular menu.
Mike Ward, CEO of Port Sunlight Village Trust, said: "We're very happy to be the new owners of this special pub. Purchasing the Bridge Inn reflects our commitment to preserving the unique character and heritage of Port Sunlight.
"This investment will enable us to better safeguard the Bridge Inn's heritage, and we look forward to working with the leaseholders to further develop a high-quality hospitality offer here," he continued.
Mile concluded, "This investment will also support our vision for Port Sunlight to become a leading visitor destination with community at its heart, while also creating employment opportunities and benefitting the local economy."
