Derelict Lord Street Eyesore to be transformed

After years of being derelict, a building on Lord Street is set to be transformed into an authentic Irish pub, after further investment in the town by Mikhail Hotels.

The group, that also owns The Bold Hotel and the Eccleston Arms, has started work on renovating the building that was formerly Mulligans Bar.

Building experts are currently on site and over the next two months it will be renovated, fitted out and decorated to the highest specification.

The pub, which will be called Punch Tarmey’s, will be located at the corner of Lord Street and Union Street and is set to open in December 2016. It will be a classically designed pub with a heritage throwback to owner Andrew Mikhail’s Irish great grandfather, who was a champion boxer in the early 1900s.

Andrew Mikhail, owner of Mikhail Hotels, said: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of this site and the plans that we have for it. This end of Lord Street is undergoing a real resurgence due to the number and quality of bars we have down here. Punch Tarmey’s will add to that. It is going to look amazing and provide something new for the people of the area.

“I am very excited to be opening Punch Tarmey’s as part of my development portfolio. It means a lot to me to be able to integrate my family history and such an interesting story of my great grandfather, into an amazing pub.”

Andrew is working with one of the world’s leading specialists in Irish Pubs and Ireland’s best and award winning pub design company to develop a brand new pub concept for Southport.

Andrew continued: “I am working with a Dublin based design team to develop a concept that is steeped in heritage and tradition. Punch Tarmey’s will take the best of old pub culture and integrate it with the trends of today. Punch Tarmey’s marks an important step in the future of pub experiences in the Southport area and will be the first of a planned eight further sites across the North West region.”

Punch Tarmey’s is named after Andrew’s great grandfather, Michael Tarmey, who came to Merseyside from Ireland in 1902 as a champion fighter.

Andrew said: “My great grandfather grew up in Balleyhornis, Ireland. He was from a very poor family and in those days when it was a widely accepted sport, he was a bare knuckle fighter in Dublin. He won a fighting tournament and the prize was two tickets to sail to Liverpool, and the equivalent of about £250 in today’s money. Him and his 18 year old wife headed to Merseyside to start a new life.

“His life in England was spent between working down the coal pits and bare knuckle fighting. He won many tournaments and became a famous fighter – so much so that he became known as ‘Punch Tarmey’.

“With his name I wanted to bring to Southport the best pub I could and I searched widely for the best company for the job. I am working with my team in Dublin to develop a concept that is steeped in heritage and tradition – this will be an exciting venue that offers today’s customer a great time and a reason to socialise.”

Mel McNally, head of Andrew’s Irish design team, said: “We are delighted to be working with Andrew on this new concept. We have been evolving pub culture through our pub and bar designs worldwide that push boundaries!

“We look forward to developing a classic and exciting concept for the Southport scene. We’re excited to partner with like-minded local investors and operators like Andrew. The location in Southport is an exciting and thriving market and we feel it’s an excellent fit for the concept we are developing.”

Andrew Mikhail added: “If any of the nearby traders are concerned about the development, then I would urge them to contact us directly and we can discuss any issues. We want to work with the community to provide something special for the town as we continue to expand.”

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