The very different tale of two Chorley pubs - one closing and one being refurbished

Two Chorley pubs have revealed big announcements - of very different kinds - on the same day.

Yesterday, management at the Red Lion in New Street, Mawdesley, in the borough of Chorley, revealed that the historic pub will close permanently - for now.

Taking to social media, a spokesman said: “Unfortunately, due to rising costs across the board, being tied to a pub company and not enough restaurant footfall, The Red Lion will close its doors tomorrow (September 29) at 11pm. We want to thank all of our staff and customers for their support.”

But they did reveal there is a glimmer of hope for the inn, which has operated since the 1840s, adding: “To lay rumours to rest, someone local is negotiating with said pub company to take on the tenancy - if this goes ahead, we would still be running the pub. If an agreement is met, the pub will reopen in due course.”

The news came within hours of staff at the War Horse pub in Buckshaw Village excitedly revealing that it was getting a “fantastic new refurbishment”. To facilitate the changes, the pub will close ‘for a few weeks’ on Sunday, October 4.

Details on the makeover have not been revealed, but some customers have asked for a child-free zone.

Chorley’s empty shops and closing businesses was raised as an ‘absolute scene’ last week by local businessman and Apprentice star Paul Bowen, as he closed his Market Street shop.

Addressing Prime Minister Andy Burnham, he said: “Andy, you’re not listening, everybody’s closing. Businesses are closing. If you just took 10 of those empty stores and let survive and each of those stores employed four people, just on minimum wage, it would create £1million alone, just in Chorley.

“Have a really hard think - you need to change now to let businesses survive.”