The two-phase renovation work at the popular Scotforth pub sees a new beer garden, play area and car park being built, as well as plans for extensions to the pub kitchen and function room.

Andy Barker, joint managing director of Mitchell's Brewery, said the scheme will make the Boot & Shoe stand out in the community.

"This will improve the vision when you come down the road," he said. "There were hoardings up before and so you wouldn't have known what was behind them, but we have opened it all out, and are making use of a facility that wasn't used before."

A new car park – where there was once a bowling green -– has enough room for 40 vehicles, including disabled and cycling spaces.

A secure garden, complete with 1,180 new plants, and a play area complete £100,000 worth of outdoor improvements.

Meanwhile, a second phase, costing the brewery around £400,000, is likely to take place early next year and will include a new kitchen extension and plans to join the pub to its function room.
"This meets with our policy of inwardly investing in our portfolio," Mr Barker added.

But Mr Barker said the pub – which was taken over in November by new licensees Zane and Beth Dawson – will keep its close community links which have made it such a popular place.

"We are trying to retain the character of the pub," he said. "It's a traditional pub and very much community-led.

"We don't want to take away from what it is – we want to build on the success it already has.

"We are one of the biggest employers in the area and probably one of the oldest, so it's important that we serve the local community.

"We have had the Boot & Shoe for more than 100 years; it's a good community pub, and the vast majority of the people who come here are local people."