Percy Shaw: New owners all set to reopen popular pub with iconic Halifax name that was sold off by Wetherspoons

The Percy Shaw, at Broad Street Plaza, closed last weekend after being sold by JD Wetherspoon.

It was a blow to the pub’s many loyal regulars but the new owners – Black Star Pubs – were handed the keys on Wednesday and have since been busy decorating, installing some new upholstery and carrying out a host of other work so that they can reopen on Monday.

"We wanted to reopen as soon as possible,” said Mark Gledhill, managing director at Black Star Pubs, which is based in Elland.

And he said: “We wanted to keep the Percy Shaw name because its iconic to Halifax.”

Mark is very familiar with the Halifax pub scene, having become landlord of his first pub – The Royal Oak in Halifax – when he was just 23 back in 2003 and being involved in pubs here ever since.

Now he is running a growing company which has pubs across Calderdale and Huddersfield, and has sights set on taking over others in Holmfirth and Bradford.

He said he is very excited about taking on the Percy Shaw.

"It’s a really nice site that has been really well maintained,” he said.

"It’s a great location.”

With the new bus station recently opening, plenty of workplaces nearby and lots going on to draw people to Halifax, he believes the pub can be a great success.

A new team have been taken on which includes top chefs from popular restaurants in Calderdale and Leeds.

There will be a gradual introduction of food from Tuesday and the new team are confident a full menu will be in place by the following week.

The dishes they will be offering will be very similar in terms of choices to what was on the menu before, but the new team want to improve the quality and value of what is being served.

And they are pledging to keep drinks prices “the same or lower”.

“We’re aiming to improve the standards and quality, and maintain the prices,” said Mark.

As an independent company, rather than part of a chain, Mark says he will be keen for The Percy Shaw to be involved in Halifax events and other activities at Broad Street Plaza.

“Halifax is the new place to be,” he said. “It’s giving people confidence to open businesses here.”

The Percy Shaw reopens at 8am on Monday (January 15).

The pub was one of 32 Wetherspoons put on the market in 2022.

Percy Shaw, who grew up in Boothtown and was one of 15 children invented cat’s eyes - the reflective road studs still used in the middle of roads today.

He had been driving between Queensbury and Boothtown one foggy night when he noticed a cat sitting on a fence and noticed how its eyes pierced the darkness.

Light from nearby tram lines and the cat’s eyes provided Percy with the idea for the reflective road studs.