Pearl of the Dane
| Pearl of the Dane | |
|---|---|
 Pearl of the Dane in 2006 | |
Interactive map of Pearl of the Dane | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | December 1997 |
| Closed | Autumn 1999 |
Previous owner | Joe Terry[1] |
| Food type | Seafood |
| Location | Congleton, Cheshire, United Kingdom |
Seating capacity | 80[1] |
Pearl of the Dane was a seafood restaurant located in Congleton, Cheshire.
History
The establishment originated from the Danish fishing trawler Limanda, which was built in 1974.[1] In 1996, the Limanda was purchased by Joe Terry, a businessman from Congleton, while it was docked in Anglesey.[1] The hull of the ship was transported to Congleton in September 1996;[1] however, due to its size, only the hull was moved.[2] A custom dry dock was constructed in Congleton to accommodate the hull.[3]
To complement its seafood theme, the surrounding structure was designed to mimic a 1920s steamboat.[2][3] Materials for the refurbishment were sourced from scrapyards in Holland and Denmark.[4] The restaurant, also known as the Congleton Steamboat,[4] opened in December 1997[4] and initially enjoyed success.[3]
Despite its early success, Pearl of the Dane struggled with declining trade and closed in the autumn of 1999.[2][5] The site has since faced vandalism[3] and, in its current state, is regarded by locals as an "eyesore."[6][7][8] There have been various proposals to reopen the restaurant, but none have materialized.[2][6]
In early 2025 Pearl of the Dane was put up for sale.[9]
In May 2026 the new owners of the Pearl of The Dane began work to refurbish the former restaurant.[10]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Manocha, Rima (22 December 1996). "New life for old Trawler". Grimsby Evening Telegraph. p. 2. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 "All Hands On Deck For "The Pearl of the Dane" Congleton - CW12 1AQ". prestigepreservation.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 "New voyage awaits Pearl of the Dane". Manchester Evening News. 17 February 2007. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- 1 2 3 "Trawler now a steamboat diner". Grimsby Evening Sentinel. 21 January 1998. p. 21.
- ↑ "SINKING BOAT". Warrington Guardian. 16 August 2000. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- 1 2 Young, Chris (8 September 2011). "Riverboat man floats idea of a new restaurant". Congleton Chronicle. p. Front Page.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Steamboat sails onto the open market". Congleton Chronicle. 27 March 2025. p. 2.
- ↑ Pritchard, Lucy (30 July 2026). "Steamboat sailing to a successful future?". Congleton Chronicle. pp. Front Page, 22.