'We want to be a like a local pub in the heart of St Helens'

The Tipsy Tap has officially opened its doors on Ormskirk Street, within the Imperial Buildings.

Co-owners Ian Pitts and Rebecca Peacock have opened the venue, transforming and merging the former Cork and Dough pizza restaurant and Secret Garden bar into a traditional pub.

The Tipsy Tap is on Ormskirk Street (Image: St Helens Star)

With its open brickwork, wooden furniture and cosy corners, The Tipsy Tap is aiming to appeal to pub lovers who love a good pint and a friendly chat.

It has a distinctively St Helens feel, with old pictures of the borough hanging from the walls.

With a series of big screens across the venue it will also look to pull in visitors who want to watch live sport.

Co-owner Rebecca Peacock serves customer Todd Hodkinson (Image: St Helens Star)

Its owners believe they have set reasonable prices, which they hope will attract the daytime crowd.

Rebecca told the Star: “We are definitely looking for more of a pub feel rather than what you get at a bar and attracting the day-time crowd is important to us.

The brickwork is a distinctive feature of the pub (Image: St Helens Star)

“We want to be like a local pub but in the middle of the town centre; we’ll look to attract mixed aged groups and hope that older customers will feel comfortable to come in.

“We hope they’ll be surprised that it’s really like a pub, rather than a bar, when they come in.

“There’ll be Sky Sports and TNT Sports on, and we’ve priced drinks at reasonable prices, for instance Guinness is £3.80 and John Smiths £2.80, and there are real ales and a wine list too.

One of the pub’s seating areas (Image: St Helens Star)

“We’ll be open from 11am Wednesday to Sunday and want to be appealing to the daytime market, with a friendly atmosphere.

“Customers who have been in so far have been really positive - we feel we have something for everyone.”

The pub will serve a selection of snacks rather than a comprehensive food menu.

The owners have ambitions for restaurants to occupy spaces next door.

The venue has a wine list (Image: St Helens Star)

Ian, one of the biggest independent investors in St Helens social scene, already owns The Imperial nightclub and the underground bar The Church.

He has also created spaces in an adjoining sports store (formerly Gibson’s Sports), where he hopes to open two restaurants.

A few reminders of the Secret Garden remain (Image: St Helens Star)

It is understood they are attracting interest from independent operators.

Among several of the independent pub, bar and restaurant operators, there is recognition that the quality of the venues needs to improve to deliver an improved food and drink offer and a strengthened night time economy.

They are dismissive of those on social media who claim why “does St Helens need another pub”, countering that with the view that any strong city or town centre has a strong hospitality offer which attracts footfall.

Indeed, there are hopes that the Tipsy Tap could be a catalyst for other quality venues to move into the centre of St Helens.