A POPULAR pub that has been sold will close in January for a refurbishment and reopen under a new name.

Details of the new owner's plans for The Faulkner in Hoole have been released after the previous owners made an emotional farewell on the venue's Facebook page.

Paul Wildes of The Wildes Group, which has a growing portfolio of hotels, restaurants and spas in the North West, has taken over the pub, with award-winning chef, Harry Guy, overseeing the menu.

The team has taken ownership of The Faulkner, with the pub trading under its current name and processes to honour all current bookings until early January 2023.

The pub will then close for refurbishment and reopen under its new name, ‘The Mouse in Mittens’ from February, 2023, with a brand-new menu designed by Chef Harry Guy.

A spokesman for the venue said: "The aim is to create a go to destination for incredible dining in a relaxed atmosphere.

"menu features classic pub dishes with a playful twist where guests able to enjoy them at a table or with a pint at the bar.

"Dishes will include the likes of: Crispy lamb shoulder with parsley emulsion, Devilled potted shrimp with preserved lemon and chicory, Venison ragout with pasta, parsnip and parmesan, Forced rhubarb ‘trifle’ with candied ginger and Bee pollen and lemon curd doughnuts."

Diners will also be able to enjoy classic bar snacks, such as a Pork pie with English mustard with the bar serving Heineken lines, as well as locally brewed ales. There will also be a classic Sunday Roast on offer, set to be the ‘best around’.

Paul Wildes, said: “The Faulkner is in a great location in the heart of a thriving community, not far from Chester city-centre.

"We are delighted to finally have the keys and are using the time from now until Christmas to meet our patrons and discuss what they’d like to see from their new-look pub.

“The menu will be competitively priced for the excellent food on offer and we aim to create a new talking point for the Chester food scene, in a relaxed dining environment.

“I will oversee the direction of the business, with Harry by my side to take the reins on the menu. 

"This pub is just the beginning, and we hope it will be a model for us moving forward with over venues and a series of exceptional food led pubs.”

Paul added: “The name comes from a picture of my daughter Minnie from Christmas 2014 when she was wearing mittens in the snow and I always thought from then it would be a nice name for a pub to remind people of family, great times and what’s really important.”