Amber Taverns has completed a £75,000 refurbishment of the Golden Lion in Ashton-in-Makerfield, investing in the community pub within Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s Makerfield constituency.
Located on Gerard Street, the Golden Lion reopened on 9 October following a refurbishment designed to modernise the trading environment while retaining its community pub focus.
The investment has included a redesigned bar alongside new lighting, décor and furnishings.
The pub’s audio-visual facilities have also been upgraded with UHD screens and a large projector, with coverage including Sky Sports, TNT Sports and Prime Video.
The Golden Lion shows a range of sport including football, rugby league, horse racing, motorsport and boxing.
Further investment is planned into 2027, including improvements to the building’s signage and decoration alongside work on its rear beer garden.
The investment follows government measures announced during 2026 aimed at supporting pubs and other hospitality and entertainment venues through changes to business rates from April 2027.
Allan Moffat, Regional Director at Amber Taverns, said, “There’s been plenty of discussion about the importance of supporting hospitality, not least from the Prime Minister, whose constituency includes the Golden Lion. We’re pleased to be playing our part by investing in the pubs and communities that are at the heart of the sector. Community pubs remain incredibly important to the towns they serve, and we believe there is a strong future for well-invested, value-led locals with great operators at the helm.
“This investment is about ensuring the Golden Lion remains competitive, relevant and attractive to customers, while retaining the character and community connection that have made it such a successful local. It’s also a great example of our commitment to continually reinvesting in our estate and supporting our operators to develop their businesses.”
The Golden Lion is operated by Amanda Lightfoot, who has 14 years of hospitality experience and has run the pub since 2022 under Amber Taverns’ operator-managed model.
Lightfoot leads a team of eight, with the pub’s offer combining drinks, live sport, entertainment and community activities.
The venue also has a private function room accommodating up to 70 people and hosts live music, DJs, karaoke and themed events.
Community fundraising forms part of the pub’s activity, with Lightfoot and her team recently raising more than £1,100 for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital through a sponsored skydive.
A further fundraising event is planned in support of Joseph’s Goal, which funds research into non-ketotic hyperglycinaemia.
Amanda said, “We’ve built a fantastic customer base here and the investment has given us the opportunity to take the pub to another level.
“The new bar looks brilliant, the sports facilities are a huge improvement and the whole place feels fresh and modern. Most importantly, we’ve kept the atmosphere and sense of community that our customers love. We’ve had a tremendous response to the refurbishment and are looking forward to building on that. And should the Prime Minister fancy seeing the results for himself, we’re sure there’ll be a warm welcome waiting at the Golden Lion.”
The refurbishment forms part of Amber Taverns’ continued investment in its operator-managed community pub estate.
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