Wigan pub 'resurrected from the dead' after arrival of new landlord and landlady

The Earl of Balcarres in Scholes had been closed for some time and was put up for sale in 2022 at £250,000.

While consideration was given to turning the landmark building into a shop selling Polish goods, it remained a pub and its doors have now reopened.

At the helm are married couple James and Kimberley Tomlinson, from Liverpool.

James said: “I got a call from a friend who used to run it and left for London. He asked us to take over and we have been here for six weeks.

"Every customer is saying it’s gone back to the way it used to be. They have said we have resurrected it from the dead.”

The pair are keen to turn the pub into the popular venue it was in its heyday.

James said: “The biggest thing was putting everything back from what it had eight years ago, when the pub was thriving.

"We have live acts on a Friday and karaoke on a Saturday, all the usual things for a pub.

"We have pictures of how it was in the 80s, which people really like to see.”

There are plans for a family fun day at Easter, a pool table has been installed and profits from the business will be used to pay for refurbishment work.

For now the pub is wet-led, but they hope to start serving food in the coming months.

So far, the reopening of the Earl of Balcarres has proved to be popular.

James said: “We are busy every weekend and most of the time during the week. We don’t really have a bad day.

"I think we are bringing it back to the way it used to be and that’s what people like. Consistency is important as well, because people said it wasn’t always open before.”

James and Kimberley, who have six children, have run several pubs before and are already enjoying life in Wigan.

James said: “We came here on a whim really. We thought we would give it a go. We have never really done anything outside Liverpool, but it’s become like a second home to us already.”