A PADGATE pub has reopened after a £250,000 transformation.

The Station House, formerly known as The Stocks, has undergone a complete refurbishment including a family friendly space, extensive bar area and a new kitchen with its own smoker, pizza oven and open carvery.

The carvery and grill house in Station Road also now features a refreshed interior with rough, natural finishes including exposed brick, raw timbers and touches of steel, as well as a comprehensive menu of casual American comfort foods and British classics.

The £250,000 refurbishment has taken two months and created 14 new jobs and has been undertaken by Same Again Pubs – the same Warrington team who reopened The Ring O’ Bells in Church Street.

Mike Atkinson, spokesman for Same Again Pubs, said: “We wanted to create something that was so much more than a great local.

“The vision was to create a go-to place that bridges the gap between local boozer and pretentious gastro.

“We know good food brings people together and that’s at the heart of The Station House.

“Somewhere you can go for lunch, dinner or just a cuppa and a cake.

“After months of planning, the internal space has created dedicated zones that make it genuinely family friendly without impacting on those wanting a break from the under 18s.

“Every effort has been made to make sure our guests have a great experience – we’ve got some truly unique and fantastic dishes to try.

“The new team are really looking forward to welcoming guests.”

Head chefs Stephen Melton and Danny Wheat are both from Warrington lads and have joined The Station House having spent the past year in the kitchen at the Ring O’ Bells.

Danny Wheat is also the ‘pitmaster’, ensuring meats are dry rubbed to perfection and fall off the bone.

The menu includes a daily carvery, grilled specials, burgers, pizzas and ribs that have been slow smoked for 16 hours thanks to the on-site smoker.

Behind the bar there are beers, premium wines, spirits and cocktails as well as a range of soft drinks including milkshakes.

There is also a breakfast menu available at weekends only.