Bradford Community Pub Set to Reopen Following Transformational Refurbishment of Almost £300,000
The Smiling Mule, a traditional village pub in Lower Fagley, Bradford, will officially reopen on Sunday 1st June following a phenomenal investment of £290,000 from the UK’s leading community pub company, Admiral Taverns. This transformational refurbishment will breathe a new lease of life into the pub and enable the passionate licensee, Paul Sinclair and his wife Michelle, to further cement it as the go-to community hub for local residents.
Internally, the pub will be completely revamped to include brand new fixtures, fittings, furniture and flooring throughout, to elevate the overall look and feel of the pub whilst retaining all the character of its original, 1900s features which include two open-fires and stone walls. In addition, as part of the refurbishment The Smiling Mule’s existing games room will be refreshed to feature a brand new pool table for the more competitive customers to enjoy.
Externally, The Smiling Mule will boast brand new lighting and signage to greet visitors as well as a newly updated spacious beer garden that will be able to seat up to 100 guests. The outdoor space will consist of both a decked and grassed seating area complete with brand new wooden furniture, atmospheric festoon lights and heaters making it the perfect place to socialise all year round. In addition, as part of the refurbishment the garden will also have a children’s play area and BBQ zone installed to ensure the pub remains as a family-friendly destination with something for everyone.
Having been at the helm of The Smiling Mule for the last eight months, and spent many years bringing his family to the pub before taking it over, Paul brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the pub. His passion for not only the local community, but also for the site itself, combined with his decade of experience running local pubs and creating valuable community assets, makes him the perfect licensee to lead The Smiling Mule into its next chapter.
Paul Sinclair, Licensee of The Smiling Mule, commented: “I’ve loved every second of my time here at The Smiling Mule so far and I’m really looking forward to seeing the finished results of this incredible refurbishment. This is such a special local pub with so much potential and I feel confident that this investment will help me to continue offering the community a thriving social hub that offers great value and brings people together.”
Upon reopening, the licensee will run an exciting schedule of regular entertainment including live music evenings every two months as well as pool, darts and dominoes teams. Going forward, Paul is also hoping to continue his fundraising efforts for MacMillan Cancer Support which he has been hosting frequently since joining The Smiling Mule and has so far raised a fantastic £1,000.
Following the refurbishment, the pub will continue to host its impressive range of drinks including an extensive portfolio of cask ales, premium draught lagers and ciders such as Madri, Coors, Carling, John Smiths, Guinness and Magners. The Smiling Mule will also introduce a small menu of delicious bar snacks including pies, sandwiches and pizzas for those wanting to pop in for a casual bite to eat after work or over the weekend.
Ian Lester, Business Development Manager at Admiral Taverns, added: “I’d like to thank Paul for all his hard work at The Smiling Mule to date and for his support in helping us to bring this refurbishment to life. The pub is looking absolutely incredible already and we’re just working on getting those final finishing touches in place ahead of officially reopening in June. On behalf of myself and the everyone at Admiral Taverns, I’d like to wish Paul, Michelle and the team the very best of luck with the relaunch and every success for the future.”
ENDS
