The pub is set for extensive renovations
19:33, 20 Apr 2025Updated 19:42, 20 Apr 2025
Bobby Dix, landlord at the Pig & Whistle in Liverpool city centre(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A historic Liverpool city centre pub will close for a month so a full refurbishment can take place. The Pig & Whistle, which is found on the corner of Chapel Street and Covent Garden in Liverpool city centre, will close at the end of June for work to begin.
It comes as the pub celebrates its 150th anniversary. The building dates back to the early 18th century when it was both a boarding house and a brothel. It became a pub in 1875 and was named after the crew bars on ships which are commonly known as the Pig and Whistle, or Pig for short, as it served plenty of dockers and seafarers.
The pub now stands alone on its block, with its neighbouring buildings all demolished. An urban legend meant many in Liverpool long thought that was due to the Blitz, but the surrounding structures were actually all knocked down by the city council in the 1970s, leaving The Pig as the last man standing.
Current licensee Bobby Dix worked at the pub under the previous landlord and has been in charge since last summer. It was closed briefly before he reopened it in September, having worked to smarten it up and add his own flourishes.
A design of how the Pig & Whistle in Liverpool city centre could look after a refurbishment(Image: The Pig & Whistle)
Bobby has worked hands-on to revive the pub, making cosmetic changes – including interior decoration, new upholstery and some exterior additions, including flower beds and new light-hearted signs. Among them are posters which read: “The façade only a mother could love” and “We’re not closed, just ugly.”
The Pig, which is owned by Heineken’s pub arm Star Pubs, is now among the best-rated pubs in the city on TripAdvisor. Soon it will close again for a period for widescale work to begin.
Bobby told the ECHO: “The brewery is really happy with how we’ve turned things around over the last six months. No-one thought for a second that the Pig could top any rankings for best pub! As a result they’ve agreed to make a substantial investment in the property.
“A lot of the work is remedial, with a new roof, plumbing and electrics, plus improvements to the accommodation, but customers will still notice some big changes. The frontage is having a full overhaul, so the trademark derelict appearance will be gone.
Pig and Whistle pub on Chapel Street, Liverpool(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
“We’re also hoping to add a mural to one of the bare brick sides. Inside we’re aiming to preserve the vibe as much as possible as people love that it’s a proper old sociable boozer.
“But you can expect new floor and ceilings, improvements to the bar, sturdy new furniture and changes to the toilets and stage area.
“The work is pencilled in for the end of June, so people still have two months to visit the Pig they know and love. If all goes well we’ll be back open and trading before the end of July.”
A design shared with the ECHO shows how the exterior of the pub could look after the work. The red paint will be replaced with green, with a new sign and its pig emblem dotted throughout.
The Pig & Whistle is found at 12 Covent Garden, Liverpool L2 8UA