Wall Heath pub closing for £300k refurbishment

The Wall Heath Tavern in High Street, owned by Star Pubs and Bars, will shut at 6pm on Sunday, May 21 for the transformation work to begin.

The refurbishment will see a new kitchen layout, a new feature fireplace and upgrading of the floor.

A complete refurbishment is planned for the toilets and there will be a new side terrace to seat 28 customers.

Stock has been run down at the pub ahead of the closure.

The pub is known for its real ale and offers four regular and two changing beers to customers. It has a small bar and larger lounge.

The Wall Heath Tavern's revamp is by Heineken owned, Star Pubs & Bars and local pub operators Russell Moreton and Melissa Nicholls. It will reopen at the end of June as a family friendly local with five new jobs created as a result of the refurbishment.

Russell and Melissa, who also have The Mount Tavern in Penn, have been running the pub on a temporary basis for the last 14 months. Since taking it on they have restored the pub’s community focus.

Taking on the lease of The Wall Heath Tavern, together with the investment, now enables the business partners to take the pub to the next level. The intention is to create a top-quality family friendly local with a great outdoor space for alfresco eating and drinking.

As part of the upgrade the latest dispense technology is being installed to improve the quality and consistency of draft beer and cider.

Russell and Melissa’s plans for The Wall Heath Tavern include quiz nights, live sports, and fortnightly entertainment. The first event will be on Sunday, July 2 at 3pm when UB40 tribute band Signing Off will be playing live.

Melissa said: “Running The Wall Heath Tavern for the last year, has enabled us to find out what residents want. We can’t wait to open the doors and show them that we’ve listened and created a great place for the community to meet up, whether that’s for a drink, meal or entertainment. The pub had lost its way recently. It’s now back at the heart of the community.”

Sandi Tipton, business development manager at Star Pubs and Bars, said: “Russell and Melissa are perfect for The Wall Heath Tavern. They know the local area well having run the pub for the last 14 months. Having run The Mount Tavern in Penn for over 10 years, they also have a real understanding of pub goers increased expectations and of what local customers want. I wish them well and look forward to toasting their success in the refurbished pub when it reopens.”

Once reopen, The Wall Heath Tavern’s trading hours will be 12 noon to 10.45pm Monday to Thursday, 9am t0.11.30pm Saturday and 9am to 10.45am on Sunday.

The investment is part of £40 million being made by Heineken in its Star Pubs and Bars estate in 2023.