A customer at the UK’s largest Wetherspoons gave an intriguing response when asked about the expensive refurbishment of the venue.
The pub in question, The Royal Victorian Pavilion in Ramsgate, Kent, has recently undergone a £750,000 refurbishment to make it one of the most prominent buildings in the area.
Upon arriving at the venue, one journalist asked a customer what they thought of the changes and décor inside the building. In response, the punter admitted that they hadn’t actually noticed the changes and admitted they might take one of the flowers.
They told the Telegraph: “I’m not sure what they’ve done apart from plant these flowers, which look nice – I might slip them into my handbag.”
The Wetherspoons in question is built inside a Grade-II listed building and covers 11,000 square feet with the ability to accommodate 1,400 people at any one time.
The venue was originally a concert and assembly hall constructed in around 1903 with the interior inspired by the Little Theatre inside Versailles.
Later, after stints as a nightclub then casino, it finally closing its doors in 2008. It was taken over by Wetherspoons in 2017 who set about transforming it, spending £4.5million to refurbish and bring it back from the dead.
Speaking ahead of the latest £750,000 refurbishment at the tail-end of 2024, pub manager Chris Whitbourn said it was needed to bring an economic boost to the area, reports the Express.
He explained: “Wetherspoon is spending £750,000 on the pub, providing further substantial investment into the area.
“Myself and my team will look forward to welcoming customers back into Royal Victoria Pavilion, in December, and we are confident that they will be impressed by the refurbishment.”
This isn’t the first time a Wetherspoons has captured the news agenda as the chain is about to make its first appearance on the famed Isle of Man, home to the iconic Isle of Man TT motorcycle races.
The pub, known as The Conister Arms, is the chain’s first outlet on the island and opened last month. In a statement about the matter, Wetherspoons said: “The Conister Arms is named after a partly submerged rock in Douglas Bay.
“Located in the heart of Douglas city centre, the pub will have capacity for 725 people across four floors, plus an outdoor seating area making it one of the largest hospitality venues on the Isle of Man.”