The Clock pub on the corner of Walton Road and Bradewell Street in Walton has reopened its doors. The pub, owned by Admiral, welcomed customers again on Friday, July 31.
Ron McCarthey, who runs several community pubs with friends Chris, Ben and Callum, has taken on the venue. Their other pubs include the Horse and Jockey in Melling, The Royal Oak in Crosby, Heather Brow in Birkenhead and The Shady Oak in Stockport.
Community support
Ron told the ECHO: "The community wanted the pub reopening. There had been quite a few videos on TikTok saying about the places on the road closing. We were approached by Admiral because of our skillset in reopening pubs, and asked if we would take it on and bring it back to its former glory."
He added: "We went to see it, and could see its potential. We spoke to people in the community around it about what they wanted to happen with it."
The team received the keys last Thursday and moved quickly to open the next day, setting up, booking live music and stocking the ale.
Plans for improvement
Currently, the pub serves Carling, Coors, Stella Artois, Cruzcampo, Tetley's, John Smiths, Guinness, Magners and Magners Dark. Ron said they plan to reinvest in the site by refitting the bar with the latest equipment, redecorating, and replacing TV systems to make it the "perfect place" to watch sport. The pub will stay open during the work.
Despite being open less than a week, The Clock has received "positive feedback" from locals. Ron said: "It was amazing. A lot of the community come in on Friday. There has been a lot of positive feedback from people saying they enjoyed themselves, they're glad to see it open, and things going on again."
Looking ahead, the team hopes to hire more staff so they can open earlier and become a "good community pub where people enjoy coming in". Ron added: "It is only a small pub, but it is right at the heart of that area. It's one of the small independents that are left."
More information can be found on The Clock's social media pages.
