New tenants' half-year wait to open Dalton pub

Louise Stewart said she and partner Kieran McDaid were ‘really excited’ to finally get the doors at The Clarence open.

They have spent thousands giving it an update which has included new flooring and new ladies’ toilets.

“It was the challenge of the pub that attracted us to it,” said Miss Stewart, 48.

“We’re both from the area, so we know the area, and we kind of knew what the pub needed to regenerate it and bring it back to life.

“It was one of those mad lockdown conversations that you have. It could be a really good pub, it had sort of been allowed to go into disrepair.”

The pair, who live above the pub, took on the tenancy in early November last year. Two days later, the country entered the second national lockdown.

The pub does not serve food so was not able to open under the condition that it provided a ‘substantial meal’. It also has no outdoor seating area, so will need to wait until next month to finally open its doors.

“We didn’t think Boris would put us into another lockdown,” said Miss Stewart.

“In a way, it’s worked in our favour if I’m honest, because it’s allowed us to do all this work.

“We wouldn’t’ have had the time; the pub would have been open, it would have just been a quick facelift and that’s it.”

She said The Clarence’s previous tenants left in March 2020 - so the pub has been closed for more than a year.

The couple have been keeping people updated and entertained with regular posts to the pub’s Facebook page while it has been closed.

Miss Stewart described the ‘huge’ level of support she and Mr McDaid, 47, had received from the public.

“When we did the initial announcement that we’d taken over The Clarence, the response was overwhelming to be honest,” she said.

“It’s been really lovely, we’re so grateful to everyone for how they’ve been with us, how they’ve received us.”

Indoor seating areas in pubs can open from May 17. The Clarence, at the corner of Queen Street and Ulverston Road, will open on May 19.