Community Pub Reopens Following Transformational £300,000 Refurbishment 

The Cheshire Cheese in Middlewich reopened last month following a combined investment of £250,000 from the UK’s leading community pub company, Admiral Taverns, and popular local licensee, Janice Oxley. The investment has enabled Janice to breathe a new lease of life into the pub, ensuring it can sit at the heart of the community for years to come. 

The pub has undergone a major transformation inside and out. Externally, the pub features brand new lighting and signage to greet customers, as well as a completely revamped beer garden. The spacious outdoor area seats up to 120 people and hosts new furniture, lighting, a smart wooden undercover area for year-round use as well as a newly updated bandstand for live entertainment. 

Inside, Janice has worked hard to retain the pub’s traditional characteristics whilst adding an element of modernity to give the Cheshire Cheese an elevated twist. The interior of the pub has been divided into three areas, all with brand new furniture and flooring, to ensure there is something for everyone.  

At one end of the pub, guests can enjoy a comfortable lounge – which also features a semi-outdoor, dog friendly space to the side of it – with new softer, atmospheric lighting making for a cosy evening with family and friends. At the other end, there is a snug and a games room, complete with a darts board and flat screen televisions hosting Sky and BT Sports, which both benefit from a central wood burning stove. 

At the helm of the Cheshire Cheese is passionate licensee, Janice Oxley, who has been running the pub for the last three-years. Having grown up just down the road in Winsford, Janice is a popular local figure, with impressive knowledge of the surrounding area and her community. This, combined with her experience in the hospitality industry – which spans to more than a decade, including running other nearby pubs such as The Turnpike – gives her the tools and knowhow to create a family-friendly social hub for everyone to enjoy. 

Janice Oxley, Licensee at the Cheshire Cheese commented: “Running the Cheshire Cheese has been such an adventure so far and I’ve loved every second of it! Opening night was incredible, made even more special by the feedback I received from customers about the refurbishment – it really is looking fantastic. I can’t wait to help it grow even more and see it continue to evolve into a vital community hub for my residents to enjoy.” 

The licensee is proud of her broad drinks selection, which includes several beers and real ales such as Madri, Beavertown Neck Oil and Timothy Taylor Boltmaker. The Cheshire Cheese also boasts a wide range of spirits including a gin and vodka bar hosting over 15 varieties, offering customers the opportunity to try something different. Moving forward, Janice is excited to introduce a small food menu consisting of classic pub favourites, all handmade on-site. 

Additionally, Janice looks forward to hosting an extensive schedule of entertainment including karaoke and disco every Saturday night, monthly live music as well as regular quiz and bingo evenings. She also plans to form The Cheshire Cheese’s very own darts and dominoes teams to compete in regional tournaments, and to support several community initiatives to ensure the pub is as involved in local life as possible. 

Ashleigh Kirk, Business Development Manager at Admiral Taverns, added: “I’d like to thank Janice, and her fantastic team, for all their hard work in bringing the refurbishment to life – it’s been such a pleasure working with them all. The Cheshire Cheese is such special pub and I know she will continue to bring the best out of it and make it a cornerstone of community life. We wish her the very best of luck and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”  

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