New date announced for reopening of Sunderland Wetherspoon's pub The Cooper Rose after £2.2million refurbishment and expansion

The pub has had a refurbishment and an upgrade, as well as creating a new roof terrace, at a total cost of £2.2million.

A previous date of November 16 had been scheduled, but had to be put back. However, the bar will still be open in good time for Christmas revellers.

The Wetherspoon pub in Albion Place first opened in March 2011. Many Wearsiders still remember the building as the Durham Book Centre.

The refurbishment and redecoration design is on the theme of Sunderland’s history as a port town, and the time when it was the largest shipbuilding town in the world.

The new design also refers to when the original building was created, with a lighter colour throughout inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement which was popular from the 1880s onwards.

A new carpet and a huge glazed lantern have been fitted. A brand-new lighting system has also been installed, as well as new ceiling features.

Access has been improved throughout the pub, with the lift able to reach every part of the premises, including the new roof garden which offers rooftop views across Sunderland.

The ground floor bar has been now been made bigger and summer doors added to the front of the building. The pub also has outdoor seating in a section of Derwent Street which it shares with neighbours Chaplins.

The roof terrace design was inspired by the Sunderland Winter Wardens as they looked in 1846 in the Athenaeum Building on Fawcett Street; the first municipally funded museum in the country outside London.

Nick Chapman, manager of the Cooper Rose, said: “We are thrilled with all of our new look pub and upgraded facilities, particularly the new roof garden which will provide a lovely outdoor space for our customers.”

The Cooper Rose will be the latest city centre venue to open its doors again after refurbishment. In nearby Green Terrace, Hidden opened in July while the Engine Room in High Street West opened again in October.

The Fire Station Auditorium is set to stage its first show on Friday, December 10.

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today.

Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters.

Your support for our journalism means we can continue telling Sunderland’s stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe – and click here to get a snapshot of the Echo’s news and sport to your inbox through our email newsletters.