The Old Packet House on Navigation Road has reopened after a £390,000 refurbishment, with a covered, heated beer garden, a new food menu and cocktails.

The Old Packet House on Navigation Road has reopened after a refurbishment worth £390,000. The pub opened its doors again on Monday 21 September.

The money came jointly from the pub’s owner, Admiral Taverns, and its licensee, Carl Stonehouse. Admiral announced the reopening in a press release carried by the British Guild of Beer Writers. It did not say how the cost was split.

What has changed

According to Admiral, the work includes:

  • new decor, fittings, furniture and flooring throughout the inside
  • new signage and a repaint outside
  • an updated beer garden with new heaters, new seating and a covered area, so it can be used through the winter
  • a cocktail menu alongside the cask ales, lagers and ciders
  • a revamped food menu of pub staples such as burgers, pies, and fish and chips

The three open fireplaces have been kept.

An 18th-century canal inn

The local CAMRA branch’s entry for the Old Packet House says it dates back to the 18th century. It was once the second inn on the journey out of Manchester along the Bridgewater Canal, which runs just behind it.

The same entry records leaded and stained glass on the back bar and partitions, and a central chimney that divides the main bar.

What happens next

Mr Stonehouse took over as licensee four years ago. Admiral says he plans a regular programme of:

  • quiz nights
  • open mic nights
  • Northern Soul nights
  • poker nights
  • Irish-themed weekends

The pub also plans to host fundraising events for local causes. No dates for these have been published yet.

“The response from the local community has been brilliant, and after four great years running the pub, I’m really excited for this next chapter,” Mr Stonehouse said in the release.

Admiral Taverns is based in Chester. It says it runs about 1,350 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales.

What it means for you

  • It is open now, at 1 Navigation Road, Altrincham, WA14 1LW.
  • The garden is now set up for colder months, with heaters and a covered area.
  • Food is back on, with a new menu. The pub’s last food hygiene inspection, on 23 September 2025, before the refurbishment, gave it the top rating of 5, according to the Food Standards Agency register.
  • Event dates have not been published. Check with the pub before making a trip for a quiz or a music night.

If you are coming by tram, the Altrincham line is closed from 19 October to 1 November. Our guide to the closure has the alternatives. For the latest food hygiene scores across the town, see our September ratings roundup.