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A historic Wallasey pub with views across the River Mersey to Liverpool has reopened following a £230,000 refurbishment.
According to the Liverpool Echo, The Ferry in Egremont has welcomed customers back after months of work funded by Punch Pubs & Co. The investment has delivered a refreshed bar, new kitchen and improvements to the first-floor dining room to make it more suitable for private events and celebrations.
We previously reported on the recently reopened Boathouse pub in Heswall, which had an even bigger refurbishment at £1.5 million!
The biggest changes have been made outside, where new planting and lighting have transformed the outdoor space and beer garden.
Chris Stockton, 63, from Barrow-in-Furness, has run the pub for eight years. The dad-of-four said it was important to keep the warm, friendly feel customers know while giving the venue a fresh look.
"The biggest selling point for us is the location," he said. "It is rammed every lunchtime, and now we have been so busy with the weather."
He even built a makeshift beer garden during lockdown, which attracted customers during social distancing rules, he says.
The pub was built by Captain John Askew in the 1820s. Askew was a ferryman. It initially served as a house and cargo store before being recorded as a hotel by 1850.
Throughout the late 19th century, The Ferry was a popular destination for families and Victorian day-trippers visiting the nearby fine sands of the Wallasey coast.
Its last major refurbishment was in October 2023, which included the installation of bi-fold doors to the ground-level restaurant area, opening it up to the beer garden.
With the reopening complete, Chris and his team are preparing for a busy summer with a programme of events planned.
Punch Pubs & Co operations manager Neil Gazzard said in a statement: "Chris is a fantastic publican, who is truly proud of the pub that he runs. This investment was all about protecting the future of the pub and enhancing small areas for many years to come. Community is at the very heart of its purpose, and that will never change."
