The Old Packet House in Altrincham reopens after a £390,000 refit

A tired heritage pub in Trafford is back open after a joint investment. The Old Packet House on Navigation Road in Altrincham, built in the 1770s by the Bridgewater Canal, has reopened after a £390,000 refurbishment funded by licensee Carl Stonehouse and Admiral Taverns, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Carl, who has run the pub for four years, admits it had needed serious investment for some time. The refit kept the original glasswork and the chimney with three open fireplaces, and added:

• New decor, fittings, furniture and flooring
• New outside signs and paintwork
• An updated beer garden with heaters, new seating and a covered area for use all year

There's now a regular weekly events calendar, including quiz nights and open mic. Carl's aim is to keep the pub at the heart of the community and bring in families and first-time visitors, including the dog walkers and walkers using the canal.

For your venue: this is the tenanted model at its best. The licensee and the pub company both put money in, and it's spent on things guests actually use: a garden you can sit in all year and a reason to visit midweek. If you're a tenant, a well-argued plan with your own stake in it is the strongest case you can take to your landlord.