Swadlincote Community Pub Reopens Following Transformational £134,000 Refurbishment

Popular community pub, the Drum & Monkey on Castle Road in Swadlincote will officially reopen today, Friday 14th August following a transformational combined investment of £134,000 from experienced licensee, Dom Knight and Admiral Taverns, the UK's leading community pub company.

This refurbishment will breathe a new lease of life into the Drum & Monkey to elevate and modernise the overall look and feel of the pub, ultimately enabling the licensee to further cement it as the go-to community hub for local residents.

Internally, the pub has undergone a full refurbishment to include brand new fixtures, fittings, furniture and decor throughout, which will elevate the Drum & Monkey's atmosphere and further expand its offering to ensure it welcomes everyone and caters to all tastes.

Externally, the pub has been completely revamped to include brand new signage as well as a fresh coat of paint to greet visitors. In addition, the Drum & Monkey boasts two newly updated, spacious beer gardens at the side and rear of the pub. The new spaces will seat up to 130 people combined with a brand new undercover area in the back beer garden so that it can be enjoyed all year round.

Passionate licensee, Dom Knight, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the pub having spent almost two decades working in the pub trade. Going forward the licensee is committed to creating a lively local hub that brings people together and supports all aspects of community life.

Dom Knight, licensee at the Drum & Monkey, commented: "It has been brilliant seeing the refurbishment take shape over the past few weeks. Seeing my vision for the place come to life has been fantastic, and I cannot wait to open the doors and welcome everyone into the new space. The support from the local community since I took over in May has been wonderful, and I hope to be serving locals here for many years to come. I would also like to thank the team at Admiral Taverns for their help throughout this entire journey.

Going forward, Dominic will be hosting a busy schedule of monthly entertainment for the community to enjoy including live music and DJs. In addition, as part of his mission to giving back to the local community, the pub will also be hosting regular fundraising events such as football shirt raffles to support mental health charity, Men and Their Emotions.

Following the refurbishment, the pub will host an impressive range of drinks including an extensive portfolio of cask ales, premium draught lagers and ciders such as Madri, Stella Artois, Carling, Guinness, Beavertown Neck Oil, Strongbow, Pedigree and Bass.

The Drum & Monkey will also introduce a delicious new food menu that will be prepared and cooked on site, consisting of traditional pub favourites such as burgers, fish and chips and chicken wings.

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: "Dom has done a fantastic job at the Drum & Monkey since taking over in May, and it is a pleasure to see him reopen the newly refurbished pub. This is a wonderful community spot that is now even better positioned to serve the area, whether that is for a quick pint in the garden or a delicious meal. Dom and the entire team have worked tirelessly over the past few weeks to ensure every detail of the renovation is just right. On behalf of myself and everyone at Admiral Taverns, I would like to wish Dom and his team the very best for the future."

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.

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