The Glass House Wetherspoons pub in St Helens still going strong

The Wetherspoons venue, which opened in 2000 remains a popular venue, and is often busy with customers throughout the week.

The venue serves food and drinks to customers and known for its ‘Spoons prices’. As with many Wetherspoons boozers, it is decked out with photographs and information about the local heritage of the area.

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“I think the location is obviously key, we are right in the town centre,” said Glass House manager Ashleigh Briscoe-Williams, who has been at the helm at the pub for three years.

“We also build that relationship with the customers and have a rapport with them, and they put their trust in us and know what they are going to get, it is consistent.”

Ashleigh says Weatherspoons’ closure of the nearby Running Horses, in 2021 also had an impact and led to an increase in customers at the Market Street venue.

The Running Horses has since been reopened by independent company Green Leisure earlier this year, with the Nine Arches in Earlestown the borough's only other Wetherspoons.

She said that following the challenges for the industry posed by the Covid pandemic, which had been “tough for everyone” the pub has since been doing well and “going in the right direction”.

19th century Parr-born entrepreneur John Rylands is among those to feature in the Glass House decor (Image: St Helens Star)

Ashleigh, 32, said the pub gets a “lot of families” come in and said customers at the Glass House who have not been before can expect a “friendly welcoming” and “fast” service of food and drinks.

She said that the pub has a “variety” of customers, which includes visitors from out of town due to its location and people visiting to go to the Theatre Royal. She added that Saints match nights also prove the “busiest days” with its proximity to the Totally Wicked Stadium.

The Glass House, which has 43 staff members in total, hosts bingo sessions every fortnight on a Tuesday, with proceeds for Young Lives Vs Cancer and prizes donated to the pub by customers.

The Glass House (Image: St Helens Star)

The venue also serves as a meeting place for some customers’ trips, such as to Bury markets for Christmas. The pub also has a newsletter keeping people informed of events going on to mark occasions during the year.

“We’re all festive and ready for the Christmas season. The pub is dressed up nice and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone over the Christmas holidays and hope we can give them an enjoyable experience.”