The Royal Victoria in Prestatyn reopened over the weekend following a combined investment of over £185,000 from leading community pub company, Admiral Taverns, and brand-new licensees, Sean Thomas and Debra Gee.
Together with Admiral Taverns, the passionate licensees have worked hard to breathe a new lease of life into the pub ahead of the festive period. Throughout the refurbishment process, Debra and Sean have been meticulous in making sure they respect The Royal Victoria’s history and tradition by retaining its more characterful, traditional features, whilst enhancing the overall look and feel with brand-new, modern furniture and fixtures.
Inside, the pub features a brand-new bar, wooden tables, flooring and reupholstered chairs as well as a state-of-the-art professional kitchen. Outside, customers will be greeted by new lighting, windows, hanging baskets and of course traditional wooden benches and heaters to enjoy in the pub’s spacious beer garden.
At the helm is husband and wife duo, Sean Thomas and Debra Gee, who bring a wealth of experience and charisma to the pub. Having run pubs across the country for over seven years, the licensees will use their knowledge and expertise to ensure The Royal Victoria becomes a pillar of the local community. For Sean, this is a dream come true as he is finally returning home to Prestatyn after 26 years away travelling around the country and the world with Debra. His family and friends have been visiting The Royal Victoria for generations and he is now determined to give something special back to his beloved local community.
Licensee at The Royal Victoria, Debra Gee, said: “It really is such an honour to take over The Royal Victoria – it’s going to be our baby. I know how much it means to Sean and I am delighted I can be by his side as we venture into this new chapter of our lives. Prestatyn is somewhere we both hold very close to our hearts, and we can’t wait to pour our heart and soul into the pub and give the wonderful locals their community pub back.”
The licensees take pride in their wide selection of draught beers, ciders and cask ales to choose from including Madri, Carling, Coors, Guinness, Worthingtons, Magners Dry and Magners Dark Fruits. Moving forward, they hope to introduce a guest ale to give customers the chance to try something different. Additionally, Sean and Debra will soon learn the art of mixology as they endeavour to offer a small cocktail menu for those who would prefer something a little lighter.
The Royal Victoria will host a small food menu a couple of days a week consisting of light bites and traditional pub favourites including hearty pies and jacket potatoes. They will also run Sunday roasts to give residents the chance to pop by on the weekend with their family to enjoy a homecooked meal. Once a month, Debra and Sean look forward to introducing their famous Caribbean nights with traditional cuisine and reggae music.
As well as being a talented pub operator, Debra is a performer at heart and looks forward to treating her customers with special performances each week. What’s more, the licensees are hoping to run bi-weekly music quizzes with a well-known, local quizmaster as well as Karaoke nights on a Friday and live music on a Saturday featuring local up and coming acts.
For the licensees, community will be at the centre of everything they do, so on top of their fantastic entertainment line-up, they will also make sure the pub acts as a safe haven to the elderly. Sean and Debra will provide somewhere for the older residents to come and enjoy during the day, offering a warm, friendly environment and hot meals. In addition, they plan to host regular charity raffles giving residents the opportunity to win back old trophies which have been sitting in the pub for years in aid of local initiatives.
Becky Whitlock-Torr, Business Development Manager at Admiral Taverns commented: “It’s hard not to be happy when you’re around Debra and Sean – their passion is totally infectious and I am confident they are the perfect people take over The Royal Victoria. Thanks to Debra and Sean the pub is a perfect blend of old and new and I look forward to seeing how they bring it to the forefront of their community.”
