Delight for punters as major overhaul of Walsall town centre's Wetherspoon pub given go-ahead

The pub giant will remove internal walls to create a bigger area for punters as well as improving toilets and access to the upper floor of St Matthew’s Hall in Lichfield Street.

Walsall Council planning officers granted listed building consent for the works to be carried out on the 19th century property.

St Matthew’s Hall was given Grade II listed status in 1986. It was built around 1831 as a public library after the land was purchased for £50.

It later became the Walsall County Court until the late 20th century when it was then converted into a pub.

Alterations to be made include the removal of walls at the back of the internal bar to convert disused storage areas to create a bigger customer area; existing window frames to be removed to open up the new conservatory to the existing dining area and reconfiguration of the platform lift, stairs and raised area to give better access between the two levels.

There will also be a new opening formed to give customers access to the first floor toilets and the current first floor toilets are to be demolished and new, bigger ones created.

Agents DV Architects said: “We feel that the proposal will not only help to maximise the potential of the site and provide a much improved visitors area.”

They added that other than the internal works which have been agreed, the pub will remain mostly the same and the alterations will be in keeping with the venue’s character.

A heritage assessment by Cotswold Archaeology said the works will have no impact on the historical importance of the building.

They said: “St Mathews Hall was constructed c.1831, and is a Grade II Listed building, included on the National Heritage List for England and is therefore considered as a designated heritage asset.

“The building originated as a library prior to its conversion to a County Court during the mid 19th-century.

“The building continued in this function through the 20th-century prior to its conversion to a public house in the late 20th century.

“The significance of the building derives principally from its evidential and aesthetic values as a grand, neo-classically styled building that evidences the architectural styles of the time, prior to the Gothic Revival period.

“Aesthetic value is most prevalent through the building’s surviving external architectural elements whilst, internally, the building has undergone successive alteration and change, resulting the substantial erosion of historical features and former floor plans.

“The proposed development broadly comprises a series of minor internal alterations to wall alignments on the ground, first and second floors, along with the removal of three fixed timber windows from the existing ground floor southern elevation.

“The proposals have been drafted to facilitate several improvements to the operation of the public house and safety of customers.

“The internal interventions are principally targeted at areas of the building that have already experienced appreciable change and no longer evidence their historical floor plans.

“Additionally, proposals for partition removal are focussed on those areas of late 20th-century fabric of no heritage significance.

“Overall, the proposals incorporate a limited removal of both historical and modern fabric.

“The proportionally modest degree of change, coupled with the preservation of elements that contribute to ‘special interest’ means that the proposals are in accordance with Section 66 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.”