Wiltshire Wetherspoons reopens its doors after £2m refurb

The mayor of Trowbridge Stephen Cooper has given Wetherspoon’s new-look Albany Palace his seal of approval following its £2.2 million revamp.

Cllr Cooper cut a ribbon to officially reopen the popular Park Road pub saying it’s now the kind of place that anyone can take their wife and family.

Trowbridge Mayor Cllr Steven Cooper shakes hands with Albany Palace manager Daryl Mapstone at the official reopening. (Image: Trevor Porter)

“The pictures really didn’t do it justice. They have done a really, really good job on it.

“I think they are slowly trying to change the image of it. They have got a lot of rather nice artwork there, some of it original.

“I was really impressed. The outside space is a little oasis. It is lovely and it’s a perfect position. It’s a nice venue.

“They have nearly doubled their staff and they are obviously expecting it to be busy. We were there until nearly 9am and the kitchen was doing a fairly good trade.

“They were doing a lot of breakfasts and they are amazingly good value.

“I think that Wetherspoon have taken it upmarket. It’s now somewhere where I would quite happily go with my wife.

“It’s now the sort of place where you would feel quite comfortable taking your family.”

Trowbridge Mayor Cllr Steven Cooper admires the beer garden at the renovated Albany Palace. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Trowbridge Town Council leader Stewart Palmen echoed the mayor’s comments, saying the décor and ambience was now much better.

He added: “They have done a really superb job. It’s not just like a tarted up pub, it feels like it has got a touch of class.

“There’s a lot of area there and incredibly low prices and a great atmosphere.

“They are going to have a very strict policy against drunken behaviour and will be very quick to ban people.

“They want to go a bit more upmarket from where they were before.”

Ivor and Lisa Piper, the couple featured in the Wiltshire Times on the last day prior to the Wetherspoon’s pub being closed for renovation, are the first in to see the changes. (Image: Trevor Porter)

The Albany Palace, which first opened as a Wetherspoon in September 2009,The recent redevelopment and refurbishment, which began in March, has created an additional 40 full and part-time jobs.

Wetherspoon area manager Joe Davey said: “The £2.2 million investment highlights Wetherspoon’s commitment to the pub and its staff and customers, as well as to Trowbridge itself.

“We are delighted that we have also been able to create 40 new jobs for local people.

“The team are looking forward to welcoming customers back into The Albany Palace and we’re confident that they will be impressed by the larger, new-look pub.”