Tesco has applied for a premises licence to open an Express convenience store at the former Black Horse pub site on Black Horse Hill in West Kirby, Wirral. The supermarket giant is seeking permission to sell alcohol between 6am and midnight, seven days a week, with the store operating during the same hours.
The site, which most recently housed a LEAF café that closed in early 2025, has a history stretching back more than two centuries. A public house stood there by at least 1822, when it was known as the Chesnutt Horse. Over the years it has operated under various names including Bay House, Threlfalls Chesters Brewery, Hilltop, and Viking.
Redevelopment plans
The proposed Tesco Express forms part of a broader redevelopment scheme for the site. Alongside the convenience store, the approved plans include five new homes and 20 car parking spaces. The application is currently under public consultation until Tuesday, August 11, after which Wirral Council will decide whether to grant the licence or refer it to its licensing committee.
The Liverpool ECHO contacted Tesco and Wirral Council for comment but received no further details at the time of publication.
