Born-and-bred Prestonpans licensee Irene McQuade has taken on The Railway Tavern on Prestonpans High Street, the East Lothian town’s last remaining pub, with Heineken-owned Star Pubs backing the move with a £191,000 refurbishment due to start on 20 April.
McQuade takes on the venue with her partner Gerry Nicholas, a former barman at the pub, and is targeting a mid-May reopening. The project will restore the pub’s distinctive exterior, overhaul the interior with new furnishings, renovated timber floors and a games zone, and add a new upstairs darts room that will double as a private function space.
Irene McQuade said, “The Railway Tavern is a beautiful old building in a fantastic location, it’s my dream pub. It’s in a sorry condition and there’s been a lot of concern about its future. The town is crying out for a good local where people can meet up, forget any worries and enjoy entertainment without the need to travel further afield.”
McQuade plans a programme of live music, karaoke nights and community events, with support for Prestonpans Gala and sponsorship of Prestongrange Bowling Club among her priorities for the reopened venue.
Matt Dyson, Star Pubs operations director for Scotland, said, “We’re pleased to be finally breaking ground on the refurbishment of such an iconic Prestonpans pub. We want The Railway Tavern to be an asset that complements the other investment the town centre has received over recent years.”