The city centre pub will close temporarily to receive a £120,000 facelift starting next week
A city centre pub will close temporarily to receive a £120,000 facelift starting next week. The makeover is part of the venue’s 150th anniversary celebrations and will take place until the last week in September.
The Pub & Whistle, located on Covent Gardens, will close on Sunday, August 24. The pub will remain open for guests celebrating and watching the first home game at the new Everton stadium that evening. The venue will reopen in time to mark the one-year anniversary under the stewardship of Bobby Dix.
Bobby took on The Pig & Whistle on a temporary basis in September 2024, having previously worked behind the bar.
Bobby was encouraged by the support from locals and visitors to take on the lease. Together with Star Pubs 1 , he is undertaking a joint £300,000 revamp of the pub to ensure its long-term future.
Bobby reassures customers that the pub’s spirit will remain after the renovations. He said: “It’s the classic story of the ugly duckling hopefully becoming the beautiful swan.
“The Pig & Whistle will remain traditional in look and feel and retain its heart and soul. We might not be able to make fun of it being a carbuncle anymore but we can still make fun of its mucky past.”
As part of the renovations, the men’s toilets are being moved upstairs to create more space in the snug, which features a popular mural of Liverpool’s most famous sights.
The stage area is being redesigned to create additional seating and a place to house the growing collection of pig ornaments and a new live sports and music area created upstairs. There is also a plan to reinstate the long dormant fireplace.
Outside, the “notoriously rundown exterior” is to be redecorated with a mural by renowned local artist, Paul Curtis, depicting Cunard liners from the 1950s, a nod to when the pub was owned by Cunard Line.
Bobby added: “I am gutted to be closing the pub as I will miss seeing the regulars. However, I am massively proud of the turnaround we’ve achieved together these last months which wouldn’t be possible without their support.
“So, thank you to everyone for helping give the Pig & Whistle a new lease of life. For me running the pub is a passion project. Liverpool has some fantastic pubs. As well as running one of Liverpool’s best, I want to raise awareness of Liverpool being a city of amazing pubs. It gives people another great reason to visit the city!”
Phil McWilliam, business development manager of Star Pubs, said: “Bobby has done an amazing job with the Pig & Whistle, turning it from a hardly frequented pub to a vibrant much-loved city centre local where everyone, from visitors, the LGBTQ+ community to women on their own, is made to feel at home. The refurbishment will make it more comfortable and inviting for customers, without losing the pub’s inherent charm which Bobby and his team create.
“The opening of the new Everton stadium nearby will only add to the popularity of this characterful pub. I wish Bobby, his staff and everyone who uses the Pig & Whistle many happy returns when it reopens next month and fun days and nights ahead.”
