Builders swoop in at Fylde pub Eagle and Child for £750,000 revamp

The Eagle and Child at Weeton will remain closed until mid May as work is carried out to transform i into “a top-end community focused village pub”.

And when it reopens it will be called The Eagle at Weeton which is a nod to the pub’s original 16th century name The Eagle.

The pub dates back to 1585 and was part of Lord Derby’s estate from whose coat of arms it got its name.

The project is being done by by Star Pubs and Bars, Heineken’s pub business , and pub operator Ross Robinson, who together with his wife and business partners runs The Queens Hotel in Lytham and The Ship in Freckleton.

Not only will it sell food and drink and but it will also provide a village shop facility, selling bottles of milk, artisan loaves of bread, bacon by pound and fresh cakes.

Ross and his team has run the pub for the past 11 month and aims to create 25 jobs after the revamp.

He said: ““We could immediately see the raw potential of The Eagle and Child. It was a sleeping giant which at one time had a reputation as a phenomenal food pub which we want to regain.

"We’ve been delighted by the response from locals to the changes we have introduced already, but that is nothing compared to the improved experience we’ll be able to offer customers once the refurbishment is complete. We would like to become a real resource for the community, somewhere everyone can feel welcome, from cyclists and dog lovers to people wanting a drink with their friends and families wanting a Sunday roast.”

David Pritchard, regional operations director of Star Pubs and Bars said: “Ross and his partners have done a fantastic job at The Queen’s Hotel, which recently won a Star Award for Most Innovative pub in the North West, a Lytham in Bloom award and is highly rated on Facebook and Trip Advisor. Now with the help of this massive investment, they’ll be able to do the same with The Eagle at Weeton."

Outside the pub will have a vegetable patch growing vegetables for the pub’s use, an adult focused beer garden with a boules court and outdoor table tennis, as well as a separate area for under 12s encouraging creativity and adventure.

Inside, structural changes include the addition of an orangery on the back of the pub with seating for 64 people, leading out to a heated pergola covered terrace and garden.

A double-sided open fire is being installed between the conservatory and the pub, and leather covered deep-buttoned chesterfield sofas and chairs, Persian rugs and throws added to create a warm, comfortable and welcoming ambience and a larger kitchen area.