PUB chain Wetherspoon has announced its Albany Palace pub in Trowbridge is to reopen next week following an extensive £2.2 million refurbishment and expansion project.

Trowbridge mayor, Cllr Stephen Cooper, will officially reopen the pub at 8am on Tuesday, June 25 for early morning visitors wanting breakfast.

He said today: “I am really excited and looking forward to it.

“I think like everybody I have walked past it on many occasions over the past couple of months and wondered what it is going to turn out like, especially with the new beer garden and the extension around the side.

“It is a prime venue and it has always been a key part of our hospitality in Trowbridge and it is a lovely position right there next to the park so hopefully its outdoor garden area will be a real asset.”

The expansion and refurbishment of the popular pub, which began in March, has created an additional 40 full and part-time jobs.

The reopening is two weeks later than originally scheduled because the refurbishment and expansion has taken longer than expected.

This is what the Albany Palace will look like when it reopens on June 25.This is what the Albany Palace will look like when it reopens on June 25. (Image: Wetherspoon)

Wetherspoon area manager Joe Davey said: “The £2.2 million investment highlights Wetherspoon’s commitment to the pub and its staff and customers, as well as to Trowbridge itself.

“We are delighted that we have also been able to create 40 new jobs for local people.

 “The team are looking forward to welcoming customers back into The Albany Palace and we’re confident that they will be impressed by the larger, new-look pub.”

The Park Road pub, which first opened as a Wetherspoon in September 2009, has been extended into the adjoining Park House building, creating an additional 210 square feet of area for customers.

A new walled beer garden has created an extra 753 sq ft of space outside. A new walled beer garden has created an extra 753 sq ft of space outside. (Image: Wetherspoon)

The customer area has also undergone a full refurbishment, as well as the relocation and upgrade to the bar area, including an upgrade to the drinks dispense equipment.

The Albany Palace has been fully redecorated throughout, including the installation of a bespoke new carpet.

A new 753 sq ft walled beer garden has been created outside and a new summer opening shopfront has been added to the premises. The pub’s flat roofs have also been re-roofed.

Behind the scenes, the kitchen facilities and equipment have been upgraded and new facilities created where staff can change and take a break.

Following the re-opening, the Albany Palace will be open from 8am to 12 midnight Sunday to Thursday, and from 8am to 1am Friday and Saturday. Food will be served from opening to 11pm every day.

The pub will be open for family dining, with children, accompanied by an adult, welcome in the pub until 9pm throughout the week. 

An impression of what the new courtyard will look like.An impression of what the new courtyard will look like. (Image: Wetherspoon)

During the refurbishment and redevelopment, Wetherspoon relocated existing staff to its pubs in nearby Bath, Chippenham, Swindon, Melksham and Warminster.

The pub takes its name from Albany Ward, who once ran the town’s first cinema, known as Albany Ward’s Picture Palace and Skating Rink. In 1913, this was renamed Albany Ward’s Electric Palace of Varieties.