Couple who 'go extra mile' say 'nothing' is off the table as they mark milestone

An award-winning Merseyside wedding venue is celebrating a milestone anniversary.

Paul and Isobel Swift have been at the helm of Wirral’s The Saddle Club for 25 years now. Nestled away on Roman Road, just off Prenton Dell Road, the historic venue is family-run and has been since 1999.

Since then, the couple, who met in Inverness, have hosted in the region of 25,000 events there - from funerals to parties to weddings. Most notably, when same-sex marriage became legal in 2013, Paul and Isobel were determined to ensure the venue was one of the first in the North West to offer marriage to queer couples officially.

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Paul, 67 and from Prenton, told the ECHO: “It’s been an amazing 25 years and it fills us with joy to think of all the special occasions and memories made here. Looking back, we’ve worked out that we’ve hosted thousands of events and weddings - quite staggering when you think about it.

“It’s a big extended family here and some people who have celebrated their 18th, 21st, 40th birthdays and their child’s christenings here.”

The Grade II listed building is a structure of special interest, where effort is made to preserve it. Listed back in 1974, the building hosts a stunning stone and Welsh slate roof with double plank doors and was even recorded in one of Britain's earliest public records - so it's hardly surprising it's a go-to for many.

Paul explained how nothing is off the table when it comes to weddings and they have seen many incredible themes over the years.

He said: “We've had some belters, some amazing themes. We've had country and western, gangsters. We had a biker wedding where bikers came from all over Britain, the Isle of Man, France and Germany. They were there all in their leathers and it was not what you expected, dancing to ABBA, it was just amazing.”

The couple's hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed as they have won many awards including, most recently, the E2 Media’s LGBTQ+ Merseyside Premier Venue award.

Paul, a dad-of-two, added: “We have a great team and our general manager Leah Ward has been here for years after becoming one of the youngest licensees in the region. She started collecting glasses for us when she was 15.

“We pride ourselves on treating people like our own and always go the extra mile for people. We’ve made a great name for ourselves here which is important considering we’re hidden away off the beaten track. You wouldn’t know we’re here so we must have a great reputation.

"I’m all about inclusivity and equality so as soon as the law was passed I wanted to be one of the pioneers for same-sex marriages in the region.

"As time has gone on, I noticed there’s a real lack of options for people wanting same-sex marriages around here. People from Wirral often have to travel afar or get charged extra purely due to it being a niche type of wedding.

“The awards are really important and something we’re proud of. Receiving the latest one on our 25th anniversary here is the icing on the cake."

The Saddle Club have set itself apart from the rest of the competition by also offering a very unique kind of wedding. Interestingly, it is the only venue in England and Wales to offer Blacksmiths weddings over the anvil.

The romantic tradition of Blacksmith’s weddings involves ‘tying the knot’ — with the bang of a Blacksmith’s anvil sealing the deal — bringing back the traditional, historical way of getting married.

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