A PUB which had to close its doors just a week after its renovation was unveiled is excited about its reopening.

The Golden Lion on Church Road, Rainford officially reopened for business on Friday, March 13, just a week before establishments were ordered to close.

Heineken owned Star Pubs & Bars1 and The Old Hall Pub Company, headed by brothers Chris and Jon Nevin, pumped more than £600,000 into the major renovation to the village pub.

The pub has found ways to offer a service to customers during the lockdown by offering a takeaway food service.

And now the pub is taking bookings for tables for its reopening on Saturday, July 4.

One thing customers will be able to enjoy is the new beer garden which was not ready for use when the pub initially relaunched.

"The beer garden will be finished, we are close to having it all lit up," said Chris.

"We're keeping more to the two metre table gaps.

"We have got 34 tables outside so we can get around 200 people outside and about 110 or 120 inside.

"We'll have some internal drinking but not many that we can allow to book for drinking. It is bookings only for the opening weekend so we have got control of who's coming in and how many.

"Everyone pays by card, it's going to be as contactless as possible.

"We are just ready, we have taken more staff on and the beer garden is bigger."