RADCLIFFE COMMUNITY PUB REOPENED FOLLOWING TRANSFORMATIONAL MAKEOVER

The Unicorn, located on Bolton road, officially reopened on Thursday 27th of August following a transformational investment of more than £290,912. The pub is part of Proper Pubs, the award-winning community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns, which operates more than 200 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales.  

Behind the bar are operators Phil Clavering and Kelly Carr. They are local to the area and have worked in the hospitality industry for over 30 years. Their expertise, combined with their energy and enthusiasm, enables them to create a lively social hub for customers to enjoy, further cementing the pub at the heart of the local community.  

Inside, the pub has been completely transformed to include brand new fixtures and fittings and an updated bar area. The pub also features three large TV screens with Sky Sports, giving customers more opportunities to watch live sport in a lively social setting. The updated games area includes a brand-new pool table and darts board, creating a dedicated space for friendly competition. 

Outside, the Unicorn has brand new lighting and signage. In addition, five TV screens are installed across the outdoor area, allowing customers to enjoy live sport and entertainment while socialising outside. Four of these screens will be positioned within heated booths, providing a comfortable, sheltered setting that can be enjoyed throughout the year. 

The pub also offers a wide range of drinks promotions, including Mid-week Madness which offers a £10 bottle of wine, Fizz Friday, offering customers a bottle of fizz for £10, along with cocktails, bottle and shot deals throughout the week.  

Phil Clavering, Operator of the Unicorn, said: “We loved seeing this incredible transformation come to life. Admiral’s expertise and support were also incredibly helpful. They truly understood what we wanted this pub to provide for the community and used their knowledge to help us bring it to life. 

We were proud to reopen the doors to both new and regular customers in the community, and opening night was a great success. The pub looked  terrific, and everyone enjoyed it.” 

On top of the fantastic drinks selection, the operators are hosting a busy schedule of entertainment for customers to enjoy including live music every Friday and plans for the future to have a weekly quiz and bingo nights. The operators are also hoping to support all aspects of community life by collecting food to donate to the local foodbank. Going forward, they also hope to support Claire House Children’s Hospice with organising charity events and raising money towards a defibrillator. 

Matt Gurney, Operations Director for Proper Pubs, said: “It was wonderful to welcome customers back to the Unicorn and see them experience the refurbished pub for the first time. The refurbishment has given the pub a fresh, modern look while preserving the character that makes it an important part of the local community. 

Admiral’s knowledge and expertise were invaluable throughout the refurbishment. The team took the time to understand what the Unicorn needed to offer its customers, helping create a warm and comfortable space for locals and visitors to enjoy.” 

Proper Pubs is always looking for ways to support its communities through an annual schedule of events and fundraising initiatives. This year over Easter it collected 21,619 easter eggs to donated to local charities and in 2025 operators collected 20,500 selection boxes to donate to local charities and communities in need for Christmas, as well as raising £80,255 for Admiral Taverns’ charity partner, Claire House Hospice.  

Furthermore, last year, Proper Pubs also successfully donated enough food to local foodbanks across the UK to feed 1,300 people for a week and has also been recognised in the UK-wide defibrillator installation campaign which has already saved 11 lives.   

In 2026, Proper Pubs was listed as a finalist in the Best Community Pub category at the Great British Publican Awards, and was previously crowned Community Pub Operator at the Publican Awards in 2024.