A PUB which dates back to the 19th Century has unveiled its new look after a full refurbishment this week.

The Vulcan on Robins Lane, Sutton reopened its doors on Friday (April 5) after a full refurbishment.

Renovations have been carried out by Creative Leisure, which specialises in reviving the fortunes of traditional pubs in need of investment and helping put them back at the heart of a community.

Along with its new look, the pub will offer live entertainment, televised football and rugby, and reasonably priced drinks to woo back regulars.

St Helens Star:

The Vulcan is back open

The Vulcan, which dates back to the late 1800s, is the seventh site that Creative Leisure has collaborated on with owners Hawthorn Leisure, who they have been working with for more than two years.

Creative Leisure director Stephen Cowell said: “This pub has a long history but it had been a bit unloved so we wanted to give it a facelift and a different feel, and create something that will last and work for everybody.

“With each project we work on, there are a few important factors which we always look for.

"We try to find a pub where we can be competitive in drinks prices compared to others in the area, so we can offer good value to the customer, and then we see how we can add to that value with standards of service, décor and entertainment.

“That’s exactly what we’ve done with The Vulcan."

St Helens Star:

The Vulcan

Stephen added: “Pubs are a highly competitive business so you do have to offer people more to attract them and get them to come back.

"Customers want all the things they expect from a national chain, in terms of safety and cleanliness, but on their doorstep and for a reasonable price. Once we get that right, everybody wins – the community, the owners and us.

“There is still a loyalty to a local pub because chains have an inability to be personal," added Stephen.

"They don’t know the names of their regulars and customers don’t know the staff, whereas in a community pub everyone knows each other.

"That is what gives an old school pub its unique feel and warmness, it’s what they were about and why they were such an important part of the community, and that’s coming back again.”