Timperley pub The Stonemasons Arms is to reopen – but it’s not likely to be until later this summer.
Some concern has been raised over the future of the Stockport Road pub after the departure of the previous owner-operator and the lack of any news on its social media channels.
Simon and Rachael Delaney, also owners of the Firbank in Wythenshawe, had taken on the pub in October 2018 and relaunched it for the second time in a year.
But late last year the Delaneys negotiated a managed exit from the Stonemasons which was due to see them hand over the pub in April.
The coronavirus pandemic scuppered that handover and Greene King, the pub’s owner, furloughed all the staff.
The Delaneys, meanwhile, have taken on the Little B in Sale and are planning to reopen that later this month.
It’s understood that the formal handover of the Stonemasons from an owner-occupier pub to a managed house – which will therefore be run directly by Greene King – is now likely to take place in late July or August.
According to TUPE regulations, the furloughed Stonemasons staff will be able to resume their jobs once the handover has been completed.
A spokesperson for Greene King – now the UK’s biggest pub chain with over 2,700 premises – told Altrincham Today it was hoping to reopen the pub “as soon as possible”.
The spokesperson confirmed: “We’re hoping the Stonemasons Arms will be back open as soon as possible for the Timperley community and look forward to providing more information once a date for this is confirmed.”
