Around £250,000 is being invested into the site of a popular fine dining restaurant as work begins to turn it into a new ‘unapologetically American’ venue.
AA Rosette holder Pecks Restaurant has been a cornerstone of fine dining in Cheshire for 40 years attracting diners from all over to its site on the A34 just outside of Congleton.
The venue closed its doors there after 40 years earlier this month, moving to and reopening at The Lion and Swan, in Congleton, a sister venue which is also part of Pear Hospitality Group, based in Talke, Staffordshire.
Pear has now confirmed that around £250,000 is being spent on Pecks Restaurant’s original site which is being turned into a new venue with a brand-new dining concept for the area.
Around 40 jobs are expected to be created by the new venture when it opens in late Spring to early summer.
Although rumours have circulated that smokehouse brand Hickory’s could be opening there, Andy Pear, CEO of Pear Hospitality has confirmed that this is not the case.
Work being carried out on the Newcastle Road venue includes rewiring, but planning permission is also being sought to make changes to the building including a side extension.
Andy said: “To have a restaurant and brand that has stayed open and consistent for 40 years is remarkable in hospitality.
“The building that Pecks has just moved from has got quite a large maintenance legacy because it has never been closed for more than a couple of days other than during Covid.
“If we had left Pecks where it was, we would have had to close it down for a couple of months to do that work, because it is so extensive. We will probably end up investing around £250,000 into the site in terms of refurbishment and renewal.
“We can’t say much about the place yet apart from that it is unapologetically American and a really interesting concept.”
Pear Hospitality Group purchased The Lion and Swan on Swan Bank in Congleton in 2020 and has spent £2.5 million on refurbishing it.
Andy added: “We often get asked if we have a bar for people to enjoy a drink before or after their meal and by placing Pecks at our site in Congleton, we have a really nice bar in the Lion and Swan.
“It is also quite fashionable at the moment to have a restaurant with rooms. People like to go away for the weekend, have an amazing meal and then wander off upstairs, sleep and go home the following day.
“The rooms at the Lion and Swan are really high end. It is a boutique hotel, and we think the two brands will sit really comfortably together.”
