Arkwrights Reopens in Preston Following £280,000 Investment

The Arkwrights, located on Plungington Road in Preston, officially reopened on Thursday 1st October following a transformational investment of £280,546. The pub is part of Proper Pubs, the award-winning community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns, which operates more than 200 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales.

Behind the bar is passionate community hero Aiden Bowley, who has taken over as the operator of the Arkwrights after completing the Proper Pubs Pathways Training Programme. Launched earlier this year, the Pathways training programme is a 12-week programme that combines practical experience across multiple pubs with structured online learning before candidates take responsibility for running a pub independently. Aiden was selected to participate in the programme after showing serious potential for becoming a future operator whilst working as an assistant manager at another Proper Pubs site, the Plungington in Preston. His expertise, combined with his energy and enthusiasm, will enable him to create a lively social hub for local residents to enjoy, further cementing the pub at the heart of the local community.

Inside, the pub has been completely transformed to include brand new flooring, fixtures, fittings and furniture throughout as well as updated decor – which has breathed a fresh lease of life into the pub.

Outside, The Arkwrights has been completely refreshed with new paint and signage, that has created a welcoming first impression for customers.

Aiden Bowley, Operator of The Arkwrights, said: “Taking over the Arkwrights has been an incredible experience, especially seeing the refurbishment come to life. Completing the Pathways Programme gave me invaluable skills, as well as the confidence I needed to take this next step in my career and take on my first pub. The backing from the Proper Pubs team has been second to none from day one and I am grateful for all their support.

“The response from the local community since we reopened has blown me away. We’ve already welcomed so many people through the doors to see the new space, and the energy in the pub has been fantastic. I’m really proud of the start we’ve made, and I’m excited to serve locals here for many years to come!”

Nikki Greenhalgh, Operations Director for Proper Pubs, said: “It has been fantastic to welcome Aiden as the new operator of the Arkwrights, especially as a graduate of our Pathways Programme. I have no doubt he will make a huge success of running his own venue. Since reopening, Aidan has really hit the ground running, and on behalf of everyone at Proper Pubs, I’d like to congratulate Aiden on all his hard work and wish him the very best of luck for the future.
Bringing people together and creating vibrant community hubs is at the heart of what we do, and we are so glad to see another successful community pub opening.”