A LOCAL pub is being given a new lease of life six years after it closed its doors.
Brewing giant Heineken is investing big in The Junction Inn, based on Wath Road, Wombwell, just months after spending almost £400,000 on a Worsbrough venue.
The pub shut in 2018 before briefly operating as a bistro.
Heineken UK’s Star Pubs subsidiary is now set to reopen the site, alongside 61 other long-term closed locals, this year.
With working from home more commonplace and people looking to save on travel, major refurbishments will concentrate on transforming tired pubs in suburban areas into premium locals.
The revamps are designed to broaden each pub’s use and appeal, giving people additional reasons to visit.
Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs’ managing director, said: “People are looking for maximum value from visits to their local. They want great surroundings and food and drink as well as activities that give them an extra reason to go out, such as sports screenings and entertainment.
“Creating fantastic locals that can accommodate a range of occasions meets this need and helps pubs fulfil their role as vital third spaces where communities can come together.
“Pubs have proved their enduring appeal; after all the disruption of recent years, Star is on track to have the lowest number of closed pubs since 2019.
“It’s a tribute to the drive and entrepreneurship of licensees and the importance of continued investment. We’ve spent more than £200m upgrading and maintaining our pubs over the last five years, and we’ll continue to invest to keep them open and thriving. Time and again we see the value consumers place on having a good local and how important it is to communities.
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Well-invested pubs run by great licensees are here to stay, but like all locals, they need government support to reduce the enormous tax burden they shoulder.”
It’s hoped the reopening of the site will bring with it much-needed jobs to the local area.
Heineken recently spent almost £400,000 to reopen The Ship in Worsbrough following a four-year closure.
Having opened once more to the public in February, 11 jobs have now been created and local community groups often host events there.
Landlady Rebecca Skelly said: “The Ship needed a complete facelift to get customers back a lick of paint wouldn’t have cut it. The smart new design has been key to converting residents into regulars. The Ship is proof of the need and demand for traditional locals. It’s part of the town’s history.
“Everyone comes here, from families with children to retirees it’s a social hub, especially for the neighbourhood’s senior citizens, many of whom sat at home alone before The Ship opened again.”
