Amber Taverns Responds To Prime Minister’s Call To Back Pubs With £75,000 Investment In His Constituency
Amber Taverns has completed a £75,000 refurbishment of the Golden Lion in Ashton-in-Makerfield, investing in the future of a community pub in Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s Makerfield constituency.
The investment comes as the Prime Minister has highlighted the importance of pubs and hospitality businesses to local economies, high streets and communities, including the Government’s announcement of further business rates relief for pubs, clubs and live music venues from April 2027. Amber Taverns is responding to that call with tangible investment in the Golden Lion, demonstrating its confidence in the future of community pubs in the heart of his own constituency.
The Golden Lion, on Gerard Street, reopened on 9 October following a refurbishment designed to modernise the trading environment, enhance the customer experience and strengthen its established position as a popular, value-led community pub. The investment includes a completely redesigned bar alongside upgraded lighting, décor and furnishings.
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’ experience in hospitality and has run the pub since 2022 under Amber Taverns’ operator-managed model. Amanda leads a team of eight and has established a strong local following through the pub’s combination of competitive drinks pricing, live sport, regular entertainment and community engagement.
The pub also offers a private function room with capacity for 70 people, alongside a programme of live music, DJs, karaoke and themed events. Community fundraising is an important part of the operation. Amanda and her team recently raised more than £1,100 for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital through a sponsored skydive and are planning a further fundraising event in support of Joseph’s Goal, a charity funding 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.””