TAKE A LOOK INSIDE NEW GRIMSBY PUB FOLLOWING TRANSFORMATIONAL £240,000
The Empire on Runswick Road in Grimsby reopened last Thursday 27th February following a major investment of £240,000. The pub is part of Proper Pubs – the award-winning community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns – which has more than 200 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales.
Leighton Power, Operator of The Empire, said: “The Empire has been transformed and it looks absolutely incredible! Inside, it features a completely refreshed bar area and function room as well as brand new furniture, flooring, fixtures and fittings throughout elevate and modernise the overall look and feel of the pub. We’ve also got two new dart boards, a pool table and several flat screen televisions with Sky and TNT for customers to enjoy.
Outside, The Empire is complete with brand new lighting and signage to brighten up the exterior and boasts a huge beer garden with new wooden benches, decorative hanging baskets and a heated undercover area to ensure it can be used all year round.”
To celebrate the reopening, the pub hosted a complimentary prosecco reception for the community followed by a live performance from popular local singer, Harvey Marc.
Going forward, Leighton will continue to run The Empire’s busy schedule of entertainment which includes weekly quiz, bingo, live music, karaoke, darts, pool and games nights. To top this off, he will also introduce the return of his very popular, family-friendly ‘Sunday Fundays’!
As a passionate, community-orientated individual, Leighton is committed to supporting all aspects of local life and is going to start by fundraising to have a lifesaving defibrillator installed at the pub and collecting food to donate to the local foodbank. He is also keen to work with a range of charities that sit close to his and the local residents’ hearts. In particular, he hopes to work with several national and regional cancer charities as well various women and children’s initiatives.
Leighton added: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at Proper Pubs for helping to bring my vision for the pub to life and for all their support throughout this journey. The Empire is very special to me and I look forward to continuing to create a community hub that everyone can be proud of!”
The Empire also offers a wide range of drinks promotions including Wine Wednesday, where customers can get £2 off a bottle, Fizz Friday, offering customers a bottle of fizz for £10, along with cocktails, bottle and shot deals throughout the week.
Matthew Gurney, Operations Director for Proper Pubs, said: “It’s fantastic to have Leighton on board at The Empire! He has already brought so much energy and enthusiasm to the pub and I’m confident that this incredible transformation will give him all the tools he needs to cement The Empire at the heart of Grimsby for many years to come.
On behalf of myself and the whole Proper Pubs team, we would like to wish Leighton the very best of luck for the future.”
Proper Pubs is always looking for ways to support its communities through an annual schedule of events and fundraising initiatives. In March 2024, it was crowned Community Pub Operator at the Publican Awards. More recently, the Group collected 16,000 advent calendars to donate to communities in need and raised nearly £100,000 in just three months for various local charities across the UK. In September 2024, Proper Pubs successfully donated enough food to local foodbanks across the UK to feed 1,300 people for a week and has also been recognised for its UK-wide defibrillator installation campaign which has already saved 11 lives.
Currently, operators across Proper Pubs’ estate are collecting as many Easter Eggs as possible to donate to local charities and worthy community causes.
The Empire, Runswick Road, Grimsby DN32 8HL, UK
The Empire, Grimsby – Proper Pubs
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