Marco Pierre White to open Lancashire pub

Marco Pierre White is to open a pub in Aughton, Lancashire next year, according to bighospitality.co.uk​.

The celeb chef has revealed plans to open two restaurants and an events venue in Lancashire next year in a deal with hospitality management company Sanguine Hospitality.

The first, Marco Pierre White at the West Tower, will open in Aughton in January as a wedding and events venue. White's second venture in the North West — a restaurant, will open at the Swan Inn pub in Aughton with the third — Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill — opening at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Chester in the latter part of the month.

The TV chef, who last month said he was planning to expand the Wheeler's restaurant brand in London and Dubai, said: "This marks a new chapter in my career, I've never lost my Northern roots and I can't wait to bring the next generation of cooking to the region.

"The future of eating out in my opinion is affordable glamour, straightforwardness, back to basics. This is what I will be bringing to the North West with the opening of the restaurants and venue."

White will not be involved in the day-to-day running of the businesses, but will be heavily involved in the training and recruiting of staff for them as well as creative input into the menus. However, a spokeswoman for Sanguine Hospitality said the chef would be available to cook at weddings or events at West Tower for a fee.

"He'll be very much involved. It's his name above the door, so he wants to maintain the highest standards possible," she said.

The move is a significant coup for Sanguine Hospitality which owns all three venues and currently owns and manages 10 hotels and restaurants in total in England and Wales.

Tony Wright, manager of Doubletree by Hilton Chester said: "This news isn't just great for us. It's fantastic for Chester and the North West region as a whole."