'It's a proper local' - Stoke-on-Trent pub reopens after £123k refurb

A pub has undergone a gorgeous £123,000 transformation. The Princess Royal, in Dresden, is a community pub that focuses on entertaining guests and putting a smile on their faces.

Welcoming Claire Walker is the landlady of the Carlisle Street watering hole and is really pleased with the renovation. A stunning contrast of bold blues and brick red against neutral hues of light brown and magnolia has been implemented throughout, although original Victorian patterns have been kept to honour the pub’s heritage.

The family and dog-friendly boozer has also had brand new furniture throughout thanks to the investment from The Banx Pub Group and Heineken-owned Star Pubs. Entertainment includes bingo, play your cards right, live musicians and DJs, disco, karaoke, pool and darts, as well as various charity events.

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Claire said: “This is a community local - a real public house. Everyone is welcome and we want people to come in and have a good time and enjoy themselves. We did what people wanted because our regulars wanted a proper local pub, so we’ve put frames and artwork of local heritage and trade, such as pottery etc.

“If people prefer a quieter drink then they can go into the snug or one of the quieter areas in the pub, because it’s such a big pub we can accommodate everyone, even if someone wants to watch TV out of the way of everyone else, we can sort that for them, no problem. The music is all controlled on different speakers, so if people want it quieter in certain parts then they can. Where there used to be a corridor there’s now a room with furniture and skittles.

“We also run four or five charity events each year, the biggest one is for Windmills Charity - it’s a couple of nurses who use their spare time to help children going through bereavement, so once their parents are in palliative care they work with the kids. They’ve been brilliant with my own niece and nephew when my brother died last year. We also fundraise for ‘For Louie’, which is a charity which helps parents who’ve lost a child, and Bliss, which is a charity that helps premature babies. On December 1 we’re putting on a 12-hour darts marathon for the Macmillan charity too.”

The Princess Royal is open from midday to 11pm Sunday to Thursday and midday to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

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