{"id":248482,"date":"2025-07-08T16:53:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T16:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/248482\/"},"modified":"2025-07-08T16:53:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T16:53:12","slug":"best-ale-house-in-town-reopens-after-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/248482\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Best ale house in town’ reopens after transformation"},"content":{"rendered":"

The pub closed for a revamp earlier this yearDan Haygarth<\/strong><\/a> Liverpool Daily Post Editor and Regeneration Reporter<\/p>\n

17:01, 08 Jul 2025<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Excelsior pub on Dale Street, Liverpool, has reopened(Image: The Excelsior)<\/p>\n

A Liverpool city centre pub has reopened after an extensive renovation. The Excelsior on Dale Street closed in June for work to begin to revamp the establishment<\/a>, which was named after a sailing ship and is adjacent to what were Higsons 1962 Brewery offices.<\/p>\n

That work has now been completed, giving the pub<\/a> a fresh look with a green paint job. Its traditional wooden bar and classic pub aesthetic remains, with new touches, pictures and furniture. It opened on Friday for a soft launch and has now returned to its normal trading hours.<\/p>\n

On X (formerly Twitter<\/a>), the pub’s account said yesterday (July 7): “Thanks to everyone who came in to have a mooch at the new look Sexy Exy over the weekend!<\/p>\n

“We are now back to our usual opening hours and look forward to seeing more of you all over the coming weeks! Up The Exy.”<\/p>\n

Reaction to the refurbishment has been positive. Replying to the post Dave Tomo said: “Well done all. Best ale house in town is looking great.” Terry Carroll added: “Had a few in there Saturday, very smart.”<\/p>\n

In December, the ECHO spoke to The Excelsior’s manager Rachael O’Donnell<\/a> as part of our pub profile series. Asked about working at the pub, she said: “It’s loads of fun, I really enjoy it. It’s like my social life as well – I love it.<\/p>\n

“We’ve definitely picked up, Christmas time is when we go really, really busy all the time and through the week. We love our fireplace as well – that’s a big talking point in here in the winter.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Excelsior pub in Liverpool city centre(Image: Iain Watts\/Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n

“It’s a great sport for Christmas, we have Christmas parties booked out, you can hire the back room for free. We have all sorts of parties.<\/p>\n

“We’re also a massive Everton pub, so Everton games go absolutely massive in here. We’re busiest at weekends – Everton games are our biggest days. Christmas time is busy and at weekends we get really, really busy quickly.”<\/p>\n

The Excelsior has become a go-to spot in the city centre for Toffees – along with The Denbigh Castle on Hackins Hey<\/a> and the newer arrival of The Lock Up on North John Street.<\/a><\/p>\n

About her pub’s football connections, Rachael said: “We’re a family of Blues. Matchdays are great, you can’t move in here on matchdays.”<\/p>\n

“People think this end of town is more of a midweek thing, but it’s definitely not. We get a lot of the students in at the weekends now, because they just live up the road.<\/p>\n

“We get a lot of them in the night-time before they are going out. We’ve got a really good regular base as well, even though it’s a city centre pub, we’ve got a lot of regulars and it just seems like word is spreading everywhere.”<\/p>\n

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