Landmark Burnley pub set to re-open after £100,000 revamp

Work on a £110,000 refurbishment starts on February 17th and the doors to the new look Park View are due to open in March.

The iconic pub, opposite Turf Moor, has been taken over by Heineken owned Star Pubs and Bars and North West pub operators Blind Tiger Inns.

In an announcement today the company said the Park View will be transformed into a 'great quality community local specialising in sports and entertainment.'

And the re-opening, on Friday, March 6th, will be in time for the Burnley vs Tottenham match the next day.

Ten new jobs will be created and experienced Lancashire licensee Tony Shirley, who has 20 years experience in the trade, will be at the helm.

The outside of the building will be fully renovated and new signage and lighting added. Subject to licensing permission, it is hoped to create a stunning garden at the front with a spacious patio, festoon lighting, a pagoda and planting, as well as an outside bar stocking draught beers to meet demand on Turf Moor match days.

The interior revamp will give the Park View a bright contemporary look, whilst retaining the pub’s traditional charm and welcoming feel. The décor will pay homage to Burnley with photos tracing the town’s history, pictures of local points of interest and maps on the walls.

There will be a lounge area with soft seating and a vault bar, complete with a stage for live music acts and sports viewings. The refurbishment aims to put the Park View on the map with sports enthusiasts and give them a fantastic live sports experience. The project will install BT and Sky Sports and a high spec audiovisual system with eight high definition screens including a giant screen and three TV screens in bookable booths.

A new pool table and darts board will enable customers to get in on the sporting action and Tony is hoping to start up Park View teams.

The new Park View will be hosting live music nights and hopes to showcase talent from across East Lancashire. The Park View will stock a wide selection of drinks, offering wine and spirits menus with a focus on gins and rums, quality coffee, beers spanning premium lagers

and cask ales and the ever popular 'benny and hot.'

A cellar overhaul and the installation of state-of-the art dispense equipment will ensure consistently excellent draft beers and ciders and Tony plans to seek Cask Marque accreditation for the pub.

Describing the Park View as 'iconic' Tony said: " There has been lots of interest in its future.

"This refurbishment is just what it needs to bring it back to life. We can’t wait to open the doors and welcome the community in again.

"We’ll be going all out to cater for the needs of Clarets fans and create a party atmosphere for them on match days. We look forward to showing them Turf Moor’s new local at the Tottenham game.”

David Pritchard, who is the Star Pubs and Bars operations director for Lancashire said it had taken time to find the right operator for the Park View but described Blind Tiger Inns as 'perfect' saying: "They have a fantastic track record for creating popular North West locals and have won awards for their sports facilities and community credentials.

"Their vision for the Park View is really exciting and will give local residents and Turf Moor the great quality pub they deserve.”

Star Pubs and Bars acquired the Park View from Punch Taverns in 2018 and since then has been keen to re-open it and make it into a viable business.

Original plans to change the whole feel of the pub by bringing in food, catering for children and making substantial structural alterations were abandoned as the company was unable to recruit a licensee to work with.

Mr Pritchard added: "Blind Tiger Inns approach will upgrade the Park View throughout and provide locals with the quality experience they want, whilst retaining the pub’s traditional character.

" Given the nature of the new scheme and its traditional feel, keeping the pub’s original name, for which it is known in the area, was considered the most appropriate option."