15th Century pub to reopen after 10 year hiatus

Stockport town centre pub, the White Lion, which dates back to the 15th Century, is set to reopen after being vacant for more than a decade.

The Grade II listed building was acquired by Stockport Council as part of a £7 million investment into the regeneration of the Market Place and Underbanks, part of the wider £1 billion investment in the town centre.

The upper floors of The White Lion were transformed into luxury apartments in 2020, breathing new life into the Grade II listed building. Stockport Council partnered with Trafford Housing Trust (now London & Quadrant) to deliver 11 apartments on the upper floors, which have all been fully let.

Now the pub – thought to be the town’s longest continually licensed public house – has been refurbished by Jon Dootson and Paul Astill, who bring extensive experience within the licensed trade in Greater Manchester. The portfolio of the duo taking on The White Lion Coaching House includes nearby Alfredos, and Tib Street Tavern; they were also b.ehind some of the first bars in the Northern Quarter, where they ran Cord, Centro and Thomas Restaurant.

Their aim is to bring this community pub back to its original glory with an emphasis on family, great food and local ales. There will also be the ‘Lion’s Den’ sporting club in the pub’s three-room bar basement, plus an events space called the ‘Board Room’ and an outside seating area.

Cllr Colin Macalister (pictured, right), Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said:

“It’s absolutely fantastic to see an integral part of our town centre brought back to life.

“The Underbanks is thriving and it is great to see the White Lion Coaching House be the latest to join the success story.

“We’ve had some great success with the renovation of our heritage buildings and it shows that they are at the heart of our town centre’s regeneration.”

Jon Dootson (pictured left), from Stockport Leisure Limited, said:

“All of our team are very excited to open the doors and welcome old and hopefully new customers and show off this amazing project.

“The focus always was to bring back a traditional pub serving amazing food with a great welcome.

“It really is the most amazing space and a great location.

“It’s fantastic to be part of something that helps the Underbanks continue to grow.”

The White Lion pub is set to reopen to during June 2024, following a soft-launch as part of ‘Foodie Friday’ in Stockport town centre on 31st May.