One of Rochdale most well-known historic buildings is set to swap pounds for pints, as work gets under way to transform the former RBS bank into a Hogarth’s pub.
New owners Amber Taverns, are investing £1m into the redevelopment of the grade II listed building. The brand, which specialises in town centre community pubs, has already started work on the building.
As well as enhancing original features, like covings, the ornate ceiling and architraves, the team will make a special feature of unique spaces within the building, with plans to use the old vaults as private seating areas. They are also set to use the rear outdoor space to create a large outdoor drinking area.
As well as stocking a fantastic range of beers, wines and cask ales, spirits lovers can look forward to over 100 different types of gin.
Sam Frankland, Property Director at Amber taverns, said: “This is a first class building in a great location, so we were very keen to get our hands on it.
“We were attracted to Rochdale because of all the investment going on with the new shopping and leisure development. The night time economy is also really building up in this area and the council clearly understands the importance of that.”
Paul Ambrose, BID Manager, says this investment together with the recent openings of Bombay Brew (Drake Street), Pint Pot (Baillie Street) and Mannerist (South Parade) reflect the ambition and confidence in the town.
He continued: “It’s great to see new high-quality food and drink venues openings in the town centre. One of the key reasons why the transformation of the town centre has moved up a gear in recent years has been the growing range of high quality restaurants, pubs and bars.
“These high-quality customer focused food and drink businesses offer a fantastic experience for locals and visitors; they help drive footfall and make the town centre a better place for al”
Councillor Allen Brett, leader of Rochdale Borough Council said: “It’s great to see a company investing so heavily in such a historically important building, which has stood proud in Rochdale town centre for over 200 years. The fact that Amber Taverns has made such a commitment to the town shows how much special Rochdale is and how much it has to offer to investors.
“Rochdale is known far and wide for its stunning heritage and we’re proud to see so much of it coming back to life, ready to play a role in our future, as well as our past. This new business will be another fantastic addition to our night time offer and I can’t wait to see it open.”
Did you know that the original use of the building was a private bank (known as the Rochdale Bank) and in 1827 it was purchased by a local family, the Royds, who were local woollen merchants.
20 Dec 2019