Former Derby Wetherspoons to get £1.4m revamp and a new name honouring The Rams
There will be a new offering of karaoke rooms and interactive darts
A former Wetherspoons in Nottingham is set to get a major makeover - with hopes to reopen in time for the Euros.
The new owners of the Thomas Leaper pub on Iron Gate Derby are Amber Taverns.
The site will operate under a new name The Iron Ram, paying homage to the area (Iron Gate) and the nickname for the city’s football team (The Rams).
Derby City Council has approved an application for internal changes to the building which has been vacant since the pub closed over a year ago in February 2023.
At the new site, people can expect a range of beer on draught including Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo and cask ales.
Interactive entertainment will be available in the form of two karaoke rooms, shuffleboards and interactive dartboards.
The new pub is expected to create around 25 full- and part-time jobs in the city.
Who are Amber Taverns
They are an independent pub company with 167 outlets across the North West, North East, Scotland and Wales.
Their website says they are ‘passionate about their public houses, the communities they serve' and 'ensure pubs are refurbished to a very high standard and offer a fantastic drinks selection and audio visual package including the full BT and Sky Sports portfolio.’
This could be a boon for footie fans as bosses aim for an opening in time for Euro 2024.
Read more: What's On in Derby?
As reported by BBC, the council said the changes would mean some "harm" to the Grade ll-listed building but the benefits of bringing the building back to public use outweighed any concerns.
Gary Roberts, operations director at Amber Taverns, said: "We are delighted that the relevant permissions have been granted.
"We are in the final stages of appointing a contractor to undertake the works and ideally would like to be open for Euro 2024."