Stockport’s oldest pub has reopened after 10 years

One of Manchester’s oldest pubs has reopened in Stockport after being closed for over a decade.

The White Lion, located in the town’s now-flourishing Underbanks, dates back to the 15th century but has lay abandoned for years.

Stockport Council acquired the Grade II listed building as part of the £7m investment into the regeneration of the Market Place and Underbanks which forms part of the wider £1bn investment in the town centre.

Back in 2020, the upper floors of the building were transformed into luxury apartments. Now the pub, which is thought to be Stockport’s longest continually licensed public house, has been fully refurbished.

The experienced team behind The White Lion Coaching House are Jon Dootson and Paul Astill, both of whom boast vast experience within the licensed trade in Greater Manchester. Their portfolio of venues includes nearby Alfredos and the city centre’s Tib Street Tavern. They were also behind some of the Northern Quarter’s first bars, heading up Cord, Centro and Thomas Restaurant.

The team say their aim is to bring the community pub back to its original glory, with an emphasis on family, great food and local ales. The pub will also feature the ‘Lion’s Den’ sporting club in the basement, a ‘Board Room’ events space and an outside seating area.

Cllr Colin Macalister, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic to see an integral part of our town centre brought back to life.

“The Underbanks is thriving and it is great to see the White Lion Coaching House be the latest to join the success story. We’ve had some great success with the renovation of our heritage buildings and it shows that they are at the heart of our town centre’s regeneration.”

Jon Dootson, from Stockport Leisure Limited, said: “All of our team are very excited to open the doors and welcome old and hopefully new customers and show off this amazing project.

“The focus always was to bring back a traditional pub serving amazing food with a great welcome. It really is the most amazing space and a great location.

“It’s fantastic to be part of something that helps the Underbanks continue to grow.”