Penny Lane’s legendary Dovedale Towers reopens after massive restoration

The pub has re-opened its famous doors today, Wednesday, May 20, at 12pm after extensive renovation works to restore the beloved venue. 

Following the incredible success of the launch of The Queens Arms on Victoria Street and The Shandon Bells on Hope Street, the team behind the Liverpool-owned independent pub group have completed their renovation of the beloved Penny Lane venue, following considerable investment.

Dovedale Towers, known locally as The Dovey, is an 1800s villa which has played an integral part in the city’s rich musical heritage. The venue has served as a children’s home and a church hall where Beatles legend Paul McCartney performed as a choir boy. It first became a pub in the 1960s and was once home to Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, who lived in a flat above the pub in the 1960s. 

Emilia Bona, head of marketing and communications for 1936 Pubco, said:

“The first thing people will notice when they step through the gates off Penny Lane is the new beer garden.”

“We’ve put a lot of love into creating a bright, blooming and beautiful space where customers can spend the summer enjoying a bevvie in the sunshine.”

“We’ve laid new turf, invested in new furniture and brought in local business Booker Flowers to inject some colour in our planters, hanging baskets and floral flourishes.”

“It’s going to be a belting summer of World Cup footy and pints on Penny Lane and we can’t wait to see the beer garden filling up for our first season at the helm.

“Customers will also notice the fresh paintwork to the pub’s exterior, with gold detailing allowing the original features and signage to shine.”

She added:

“Our renovation team have been working round the clock to get Dovedale Towers ready for beer garden season.”

“We use the same team of local tradesmen and labourers on every single project we do, because we trust them to bring the vision to life. They’ve absolutely grafted on this one, and it’s been a labour of love bringing this south Liverpool institution into a new era of its life.”

The interior restoration work has been extensive, with period floor tiles unearthed and brought back to life as part of the building’s make-over.

The Dovedale Towers will offer 10 rotating cask ales with a strong local selection, as well as a range of stouts and an extensive cocktail menu.

Emilia added:

“Everyone on our team has been drinking in the Dovey for more years than we can count, so if ever there was a passion project, this is it. A new chapter for a beloved institution.”

“We’ve done some restoration, renovation and re-imagining. It’s a south end legend and we have paid it all due respect and given it the very best of our love and attention. You will not be disappointed.”

“We hope, and feel very confident, that the local community will like the significant refreshing of the building’s exterior and garden.”

The pub group also recently announced its plans for the former Maggie May’s site on Bold Street, after the family behind the iconic cafe decided to step away after many happy years serving their customers.

1936 Pubco won the prestigious Historic England Conservation Award at the CAMRA 2024 Pub Design Awards for its exceptional restoration of The Vines.

The judges were said to be incredibly impressed with the high quality of the restoration, which has brought the building back to life as a “spectacular example of historic pub design and craftsmanship.” 

CAMRA’s awards director Laura Emson said:

“It is only right that the blood, sweat and tears poured into these pubs is celebrated. I would like to raise a glass to all these award-worthy pubs.”

“We hope beer-lovers across the country will seek out these breathtaking examples of how beautiful UK pubs can be, if given the appropriate love and care these much-loved establishments truly deserve.”

The Vines is also featured in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide for 2026. The guide is the ultimate cask beer lover’s bible, produced by the people that drink it, for people seeking out the best possible pints.

The Good Beer Guide, the UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide, features 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK. The guide represents an independent, volunteer-led selection process that makes it the authoritative and trusted voice for cask beer drinkers in the UK.

Stay updated with what’s on at The Dovey here.

Another iconic building has just reopened on the other end of Penny Lane, read more here.

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