Admiral invests almost £700k into two sites on same road

By Ed Bedington

- Last updated on GMT

Strong investment into Admiral estate
Admiral Taverns has ended the year with a nearly £700,000 investment project across two pubs in the north east on the same road.

The two community pubs are the Parkers, and the New Griffin both on Anlaby Road in Hull, and it follows on from a recent £930,000 investment project across four pubs by the community pub-focused operator.

The Parkers, run by operator Paul Harker, has received a £268,000 refurbishment, whilst the New Griffin, which is run by David Smith, has received a £424,000 refurbishment.

Both pubs are part of Proper Pubs, the community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns, which has more than 200 pubs across England, Scotland, and Wales and the projects were completed in time for the busy festive season.

The company said the capex investment is a core part of the business’ strategy as it seeks to nurture community pubs and provide with long-term sustainable futures.

The New Griffin, which opened last week (15 December) now features a new staging area specially for live entertainment, as well as an open-planned main room which includes brand-new flooring, seating and a bar.

Smith said: “Opening night was fantastic, it was amazing to see all our customers, old and new, coming to see what the pub has to offer! The feedback we received from our community was amazing, and we can’t wait to see them again soon!”

The Parker has also undergone a complete interior and exterior renovation, including brand-new flooring, furniture, and fixtures throughout, as well as a new centralised bar. Outside, the pub hosts a spacious garden area featuring a brand-new bar, seating area and lighting.

The pub was due to open this week with a prosecco reception and special Christmas activities, followed by a weekend full of music and live sports.

Harker said: “The pub already looks fantastic, and I can’t believe the transformation so far. I’m really excited to get back behind the bar, meet all our customers old and new and support the local community. We’ll be starting off by collecting food for a local food bank, and donations to get a defibrillator installed. Pubs are the hub of their community, and we can’t wait to be the hub of Hull.”

Both pubs provide a wide range of drink offers, including cocktails, wine and fizz promotions, as well as a full sports package of Sky Sports, TNT Sports and horse racing. Customers can also expect to enjoy regular weekend entertainment, such as Karaoke and DJ nights.

Matthew Gurney, operations director for Proper Pubs, said: “The refurbishment at both the New Giffin and Parkers looks fantastic – the teams have worked really hard to ensure they are a success for the local community.

“On behalf of the Proper Pubs team, we would like to wish our community heroes, Paul and David, every success for the future in making The Parkers and New Griffin fantastic hubs of the community.”