Pearl of the Dane
| Pearl of the Dane | |
|---|---|
 Pearl of the Dane in 2006 | |
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | December 1997 |
| Closed | Autumn 1999 |
| Owner(s) | Ray Morris[1] |
| Previous owner(s) | Joe Terry[2] |
| Food type | Seafood |
| City | Congleton |
| County | Cheshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Seating capacity | 80[2] |
Pearl of the Dane was a seafood restaurant located in Congleton, Cheshire.
History
[edit]The establishment originated from the Danish fishing trawler Limanda, which was built in 1974.[2] In 1996, the Limanda was purchased by Joe Terry, a businessman from Congleton, while it was docked in Anglesey.[2] The hull of the ship was transported to Congleton in September 1996;[2] however, due to its size, only the hull was moved.[3] A custom dry dock was constructed in Congleton to accommodate the hull.[4]
To complement its seafood theme, the surrounding structure was designed to mimic a 1920s steamboat.[3][4] Materials for the refurbishment were sourced from scrapyards in Holland and Denmark.[5] The restaurant, also known as the Congleton Steamboat,[5] opened in December 1997[5] and initially enjoyed success.[4]
Despite its early success, Pearl of the Dane struggled with declining trade and closed in the autumn of 1999.[3][6] The site has since faced vandalism[4] and, in its current state, is regarded by locals as an "eyesore."[1][7][8] There have been various proposals to reopen the restaurant, but none have materialized.[3][1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Young, Chris (8 September 2011). "Riverboat man floats idea of a new restaurant". Congleton Chronicle. p. Front Page.
- ^ a b c d e Manocha, Rima (22 December 1996). "New life for old Trawler". Grimsby Evening Telegraph. p. 2. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "All Hands On Deck For "The Pearl of the Dane" Congleton - CW12 1AQ". prestigepreservation.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d "New voyage awaits Pearl of the Dane". Manchester Evening News. 17 February 2007. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "Trawler now a steamboat diner". Grimsby Evening Sentinel. 21 January 1998. p. 21.
- ^ "SINKING BOAT". Warrington Guardian. 16 August 2000. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ Young, Chris (8 September 2011). "Will Pearl gleam again?". Congleton Chronicle. p. Back page.
- ^ McIntyre, Alex (25 March 2023). "The derelict steamboat that was once a glamorous floating restaurant". Cheshire Live. Retrieved 14 May 2024.