Sunderland Wetherspoon's pub The Cooper Rose announces new reopening date after £2.2million refit

The popular Albion Place bar now plans to open its doors again on Tuesday, January 25.

Work began on the £2.2million re-fit began earlier this year. In May the Echo reported that work was scheduled to take around four months, and was given a reopening date of October 25 at a cost of £2 million. By October, that had been amended to November 16.

That also passed and Wetherspoon then gave us a new date of December 14. However, the company contacted us the following day to say there had been an error.

They gave us an apology and said the information they had given “was written in good faith and contained the correct date, but it was changed today (December 3)”.

A new date of Monday, December 20 was then given. But that too passed and it was confirmed that the reopening would not take place until 2022.

Wetherspoon did not say a precise date at the time, but have now announced January 25.

The refurbishment is being carried out by Oldham-based construction firm Medlock.

Work is still going on inside the pub, with scaffolding still up at the rear of the building on the section of Derwent Street it shares with neighbouring pub Chaplin’s.

The Echo has asked for the reasons for the delays in the work, but so far have not received an answer. JD Wetherspoon have previously said they will give additional information when they are able to do so.

The new look Cooper Rose will have improved access throughout the pub, with a lift able to reach every part of the premises, including the new roof terrace which offers rooftop views across Sunderland.

The ground floor bar will be larger than previously and summer doors have been added to the front of the building on Albion Place.

The Cooper Rose first opened its doors in March 2011. Before that it had been Blu Bambu, although many Wearsiders still remember the building as the Durham Book Centre.

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