The Thomas Leaper: Green light for £1.4m upgrade of landmark city pub

The Thomas Leaper pub closed in February 2023

Plans for a £1.4m upgrade of a landmark pub in Derby city centre have been given the go-ahead.

The Thomas Leaper, formerly owned by J D Wetherspoon, will be reopened by Amber Taverns later this year.

The new venue will be called The Iron Ram - a tribute to Iron Gate, where the building is located, and Derby County's nickname.

Derby City Council approved an application for internal changes to be made to the building.

It also gave permission for new signs to be put up outside the pub, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The former Thomas Leaper pub will reopen under a new name

The building has stood empty since The Thomas Leaper closed in February 2023.

Planning documents said the company wanted to "breathe new life" into the venue by having "private karaoke rooms for hire" and games areas featuring interactive darts and shuffleboards.

The council said the changes would mean some "harm" to the Grade ll-listed building but the benefits of bringing the building back to public use outweighed any concerns.

Gary Roberts, operations director at Amber Taverns, said: "We are delighted that the relevant permissions have been granted.

"We are in the final stages of appointing a contractor to undertake the works and ideally would like to be open for Euro 2024."