JD Wetherspoon bucks trend with plans for more West Midlands pubs

Theatres, cinemas and snooker halls have all succumbed to the test of time, with scores closing over the last few decades.

But as more and more traditional boozers are transformed into convenience stores, or bulldozed to make way for petrol stations, one pub company is going the other way - and buying up character buildings to transform into unique pubs.

JD Wetherspoon, which has recently celebrated its 35th anniversary, has converted cinemas, old courthouses, theatres and snooker halls and is on course to open at least 20 new pubs across the West Midlands over the next five years.

The former Electric Palace in Bloxwich High Street, formerly a cinema and nightclub is the latest to be launched by the company - opening this month following a £1.5 million revamp.

It will be named the Bloxwich Showman, in honour of Pat Collins who set up the famous fun fair and was also a mayor and MP for Walsall.

The site was most recently used as a youth centre, but stood empty from 2011 until the pub group stepped in.

A similar sum is being spent on the Hedgford Lodge in Anglesey Street, Hednesford.

It is being opened at the vacant Anglesey Lodge which boasted a bar, restaurant, hotel and concert room during the Second World War.

The company takes pains to preserve as much of the building's heritage as possible - and often make a nod to its previous use when it comes to naming the pub.

The Picture House in Bridge Street, Stafford, for example is a former cinema, which opened in 1914 and screened films until the 90s and still has it original ticket booth in the foyer.

The Billiard Hall in West Bromwich has been a pub since 1998 having initially been a snooker hall.

The building is more than a century old having initially been opened in St Michael's Street in 1913, while a former courtroom and library in Oldbury was also transformed to create the Court of Requests three years ago.

Around £1.25m was spent redeveloping the Church Street site. Built in 1816, the former library is one of the oldest buildings in the town and is Grade II listed.

It was originally the Court of Requests and included a jail with cells for male and female prisoners.

The Imperial pub in Walsall town centre opened in 1997 and has remained a distinctive feature in Darwall Street since.

The building dates back to the 1860s. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1887 as St George's Hall, and two years later became the Imperial Theatre.

It became a cinema in circa 1910, and screened its last film in 1968.

The nearby former county court was also bought by Wetherspoon, creating St Matthew's Hall, although the site in Lichfield Street had also most recently been a pub.

Furthermore, a former post office was transformed into a pub in Staffordshire. The Poste of Stone was opened in Stone in 2002.

Bringing buildings which have been previously used for other purposes back into use is something which is set to carry on.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "We have enjoyed great success in the West Midlands and are looking forward to opening a number of new pubs in the coming months.

"Wetherspoon is renowned for purchasing old buildings, for example cinemas and theatres and converting them into its pubs.

"In most cases the buildings are empty or have not been used as cinemas or theatres for many years.

"We take great pride and invest heavily in bringing these buildings back to their former glories and developing excellent pubs on the site.

"They pay homage to the original use of the building in terms of design and artwork, photos and information boards throughout the pub."

The conversion of former cinemas has been a particular success for the pub chain.

The old Avion Cinema and bingo hall was transformed in Anchor Road, Aldridge.

More than £1m was invested in the now drinking hole which has taken the name The Avion.

It was first built as a cinema in 1938 and had seating for 1,000 customers. It was opened by ukulele player George Formby, who was probably the biggest name in British entertainment at that time.

The Avion remained largely unaltered until December 1967 when it closed down but it promptly reopened as the Avion Bingo Hall. That closed in 2009 paving the way for it to eventually become a pub.

The Picture House in Stafford was also a cinema before becoming a Wetherspoon in 1997.

It first opened its doors to the cinema-going public on the eve of the First World War and screened films until the 1990s.

The Picture House opened its doors to the paying public for the first time in February 1914.

On the first day, admission prices to a matinee showing of The House of Temperley ranged from three pence to one shilling.

Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin said they were pleased to continue to be opening new venues. "We are proud to be creating so many new jobs." he said.