A 200-year-old Salford pub has secured a licence to hold marriage ceremonies following an £800,000 investment in a new function suite.
The White Swan in Swinton is the first pub in the Joseph Holt estate to obtain an approved premises licence for weddings.
The newly constructed Joseph Holt Suite accommodates 150 seated guests on the ground floor and features its own dedicated bar area, log burner and private facilities.
Brewery Joseph Holt says the expanded capacity is already proving popular, reporting that the venue has received an influx of booking enquiries since opening the space for public hire and private events.
Landlady Lyndsey Smethills, who has managed the pub for nine years alongside her partner Mike Carr, states that the venue aims to fill a gap left by the closure of other local event spaces.
She said: “I’m an incurable romantic, so I love the fact that we are going to be able to have weddings here, and I’m so proud to be the first Joseph Holt pub to do so.
“More significantly, our new function room is such a wonderful move for the community and beyond.”
Alongside weddings, the function room is host to community groups including the Swinton Lions veterans group, a chess club and local health support organisations.
The building itself has operated on Worsley Road in South Swinton for two centuries. The brewery Joseph Holt purchased the premises in 1868 during the company’s early expansion across Greater Manchester.
The interior retains historic features including original oak panelling and stained glass, alongside a panelled billiard room dating back to 1926.
In terms of food and drink, the pub operates primarily as a traditional drinks-led sports venue rather than a full-service restaurant.
The bar serves Joseph Holt draught bitters, lagers and ciders, together with craft options from Bootleg Brewery. Food options at the bar are centered around warm Carrs pasties baked by the family-run Bolton bakery.
