A HISTORIC Warrington pub is set to reopen.

The Marquis of Granby closed as a pub in late December 2020 and was converted for use as a health and wellbeing service in February 2022.

The Church Street venue, a Grade II-listed building which dates back to the 17th century, had been on the market for £260,000 since 2020.

Individual rooms were to be rented out to practitioners on an ad hoc basis for uses including acupuncture, physiotherapy, chiropody, massage and therapeutic treatments.

Since this permission was granted, a further retrospective application was submitted for the creation of car parking to the rear of the Howley site, which was refused in October 2022.

Then in May 2023, backed up by a failed appeal in October, plans were also knocked back for disabled parking, motorcycle parking and cycle storage, with associated landscaping, to the rear of the pub.

New plans by applicant Harry BWF Ltd were for proposed external works in association with the creation of an outdoor health and wellbeing space.

But these too were rejected by Warrington Borough Council’s planning officers in the summer.

The land subject of this application was formerly the beer garden associated with the pub, but this has since been paved over and is used as a car park.

Now a new licensing application has been submitted to Warrington Borough Council.

It would open from 10am until 11pm from Sunday to Saturday should be licence be agreed.

It is currently with the council to rule on.

The Marquis of Granby was one of two Church Street pubs to be named in honour of a Seven Years War hero.

Lieutenant general John Manners was famed for his military prowess and for charging at the head of the British cavalry during the Battle of Warburg in 1760.

Losing his hat and wig during the charge, legend says that the Marquis’ bald head shining in the light helped to guide his troops.

Following the war, he helped several men who served in the war to become publicans, with their pubs then being named after him as a mark of respect.

The General Wolfe, which closed more than a decade ago and is now residential, was renamed in 1759 after General James Wolfe became a national hero.

He helped to capture Quebec from the French in a battle that became pivotal in cementing the British control of Canada and the rest of North America.