Derby Community Pub Reopens Following Transformational Refurbishment

Popular community pub, The Travellers Rest on Ashbourne Road in Derby, reopened on Monday 1st December following the first phase of a phenomenal £320,000 combined investment from experienced licensee, Andy Newton, and Admiral Taverns.   

Thanks to the investment –  which has been split into two parts, with the second phase due to commence at the start of 2026 – The Travellers Rest has undergone a full refurbishment to enhance and modernise the overall look and feel of the pub. Inside, whilst Andy has worked hard to ensure the pub retains its original character and traditional features such as the large open fireplace, it now boasts upgraded furniture, flooring, fixtures and fittings, alongside an newly revamped bar area for customers to enjoy. In addition, sports fans can look forward to one 32-inch and three 50-inch state of the art flat screen televisions hosting an array of streaming services to ensure visitors can watch their favourite teams play.

Externally, The Travellers Rest has been freshly painted and now features brand-new lighting and signage to greet guests, along with a spacious beer garden to the rear of the pub that seats approximately 100 people.

Moving forward, the second phase of the investment will bring the community a completely transformed function suite – situated in a separate building to the rear of the pub – available for private hire, complete with its very own bar and facilities to ensure milestone moments can be celebrated in comfort and style.

Passionate licensee, Andy, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to The Travellers Rest having not only grown up in the local area, but has also having been at the helm of the pub for the last two years. During Andy’s time at the pub, he has worked tirelessly to create a vibrant social hub that brings people together and where everyone in the community – including four legged friends – feel welcome.   

To celebrate the reopening, there will be plenty of mid-week live music as well as disco and karaoke at the weekends to bring residents together.  

Andy Newton, Licensee at The Travellers Rest, commented: “I’m absolutely thrilled with the results of this fantastic investment! It was a joy to welcome the community back on Monday,  just in time to celebrate the countdown to Christmas, and show off the pub’s brand new look.  

I really have loved every minute of my time at The Travellers and I would like to thank everyone, from our family and friends to our customers, team and of course everyone at Admiral Taverns, for all their ongoing support over the past two years. I look forward to getting the function room underway next year and everything the future holds for this fabulous community pub!”  

As part of Andy’s commitment of bringing people together, he will continue to host a busy schedule of regular entertainment including the local darts team on Mondays, quiz nights on Tuesdays and live acoustic music every fortnight on a Wednesday from 8pm. In addition, the licensee will be  hosting a variety of charity events to raise money for local children’s charity, Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre, which aims to give children from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to laugh, grow, and thrive  through unforgettable holidays, new experiences and lifelong memories. 

The Travellers Rest also offers an impressive selection of draught beers such as Guinness, Cruz Campo, Carling, Coors and Moretti and on opening day will be offering customers £1 off their first drink. Moving forward, Andy hopes to host a small but delicious food menu of traditional pub classics – such as sandwiches, pies, jacket potatoes –  which will all be freshly prepared on site in the newly renovated kitchen.  

The pub is owned by Admiral Taverns, the UK’s leading community pub company with c. 1,350 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales.   

Richard Skinner, Business Development Manager at Admiral Taverns, added: “Since taking over, Andy has brought real passion and dedication to The Travellers Rest and it’s been a joy watching him build a popular, community focused pub that is cherished by local residents.  

On behalf of everyone at Admiral Taverns, I look forward to seeing all that he will achieve following this investment and wish Andy and the whole team at The Travellers Rest the very best for the future.”  

ENDS  

Notes to Editors     

Admiral Taverns (“Admiral”) is the UK’s number one community pub group. Headquartered in Chester; the Group operates a national estate of c.1,350 predominantly wet-led community pubs. Admiral’s unique operational approach has earnt industry recognition with the Group winning Best Community Pub Operator at the 2024 Publican Awards, whilst also being shortlisted for Best Partnership Pub Company (501+ Sites). In 2019, 2016 and 2013, Admiral Taverns won Best Leased and Tenanted Pub Company at the Publican Awards and ranked highly commended as Best Community Pub Operator in 2017. The Group has also been consistently highly rated by licensees in the industry’s independent annual Tenant Track survey, exceeding the scores of all its national peers.

Media Enquiries   

Houston   

India Spencer/Sarah Patton   +44 (0) 204 529 0549   admiral@houston.co.uk   

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