First look at Dundee pub being ‘brought back to former glory’

A well-known Dundee pub has reopened after a major refurbishment.

Publicans John Justice and son Thomas, along with business partner Bob Maver, have bought over The Queen Anne on City Road.

The bar closed under its previous operator in spring this year.

Speaking ahead of the pub’s reopening on Friday (November 3), Thomas, who also runs the Bush Bar on Seagate, said: “The bar has been closed for a while and was in a dire state.

“It was a great pub back in the day and we wanted to return it to its former glory.

“We were keen to see the bar reopening and bought it with a view to breathing new life back into it.

“The Queen Anne has always been known as a football pub and we will be showing lots of live sport.”

‘Positive sign’ for Dundee pub trade as The Queen Anne bar reopens

Thomas added their decision to spend money on The Queen Anne is a sign of their confidence that the pub trade is getting back on its feet after Covid.

He has taken on two new landlords to run the pub – Ian and Lorna Mitchell.

Ian said: “This is a really positive sign for Dundee’s pub trade.

“It has taken a long time but people are finally starting to go out to the pub again.

“We are excited to be starting this new venture and are looking forward to welcoming lots of new customers to The Queen Anne.”

Thomas’s dad John, owner of The Pillars and the Star and Garter, said: “We wanted to get involved in renovating an older-style Dundee pub, back out of the city centre.

“We have spent something in the region of £30,000-£40,000 renovating The Queen Anne.

“We felt it was important to open up a pub in a community away from the main centre of Dundee and give something back to the area.

“Thomas and I have worked with the new landlords to create a pub we hope will be popular while still keeping a traditional style, which we felt was really important.”

The Justices reopened the Star and Garter on Union Street in February, after a five-year hiatus.