The George Hotel, a historic pub in Crosby Village, is set to reopen under new owners this summer after closing down. The venue will be revived with a fresh look, revamped offering, and renewed customer experience, led by the first independently run operators to take charge in decades.
New Owners and Plans
The team behind Murphy's Tavern, an Irish pub concept in Crosby Village, have acquired the premises. Murphy's Tavern opened in March 2025, taking over the former Blues Bar site with a complete refurbishment. Jon Hewitt, a member of the Murphy's Tavern team, announced the future of The George Hotel, saying: "We are taking over the recently closed down George Hotel in Crosby Village. This pub means a lot to me because it was the first proper job I ever had."
Hewitt recalled: "I was 15 years old in 1997 and I was the glass collector here for two years every Friday and Saturday night. It was run by Whitbread at the time. I used to love working here and I'm really excited that it's going to be back open. It's not going to be a big empty building in Crosby Village. We've got big plans for it. We're going to take it in a different direction." The George is scheduled to reopen in summer, offering restaurant-quality food and drinks.
Another Landmark Revival
The Murphy's Tavern team is also reopening an Ince Blundell landmark that fell into disuse. The former Red Squirrel pub, located on the Formby Bypass, will relaunch as The Wild Roe after seven years of dormancy. The pub briefly operated as a Ploughman's Table venture in 2018 but stood derelict since 2019. The venue promises a "traditional, rural, friendly pub, kitchen and garden" set across two acres of countryside, with "traditional rural charm with a modern, high-level service experience".
Nicola Halton, business development manager for Murphy's Tavern, said: "It is great to see closed pubs being brought back to life and serving the community again. The owners are local to the area and are passionate about delivering a pub that creates jobs and a community feel for people to enjoy." The new name pays tribute to the roe deer often spotted locally. An opening date is yet to be announced.
