ALL over the country there are Wetherspoons in weird and wonderful buildings, and this one in Walsall is no different.
Found in an old library, the Grade II listed St Matthew’s Hall is Greek-style with grand pillars, and it’s set to undergo its second renovation in two years.
The Walsall Wetherspoons doesn’t look like a pub from the outside[/caption]
The inside reflects the venue’s former roots as a library[/caption]
Win one of 8 incredible holidays to the Caribbean, Mexico and Greece by voting in The Sun’s Travel Awards – enter to win here.
The popular Wetherspoons branch in Walsall has been granted permission to make alterations to the pub just one year after the last ones were made.
At the St Matthew’s Hall pub, there will be a new entrance created in the wall that looks out onto Lichfield Street, and a gate installed.
The company will also put in a disabled ramp, and repave part of the outside seating area.
Other plans include replacing the softwood timber panelling in the conservatory with hardwood, which the company said were “essential” repairs.
It hasn’t been long since the previous changes to the pub in 2024, where the boozer reopened after year-long renovations costing £300,000.
The pub reopened with full redecoration including a new carpet and furniture.
Other improvements were to the lighting as well as paving repairs in the pub garden.
The venue first opened as a Wetherspoons in July 2011 but before that was used as Walsall’s county court, and before that, it was a library.
The Greek-style building was purpose built in the 1830s as Walsall’s first permanent library.
The pub is getting its second venue in two years[/caption]
It has an outdoor seating area and conservatory too[/caption]
However by 1847 it fell into disrepair and was altered to become a county court.
After that, it then became a library once again. Then it became one of Walsall’s big entertainment venues.
In 1998, the building was converted into a pub called The Old Court House, and then a nightclub called Martha’s Vineyard.
It’s a popular boozer in Walsall, and one recent visitor to the pub said: “Located in a beautiful old building, the interior has been very well fitted out, maintaining the original character – well done Wetherspoons!”
Another added on Tripadvisor: “We stopped in on a rainy day to get out of the weather and have something to drink.
“The building was absolutely wonderful, full of pictures to explain the history of the building and the people around the area.”
St Matthew’s Hall isn’t the only Wetherspoons in the UK undergoing a renovation.
The Art Picture House in Manchester is also getting a new look.
The beautiful venue in the city will involve a “full refurbishment of the ground floor […] with the intention of highlighting the historic elements of the interior”, according to the plans submitted to Bury council.
Inside, art deco interiors will be reinstated, a large bar will be built as will be new stairs and a ramp.
Nothing is set in stone with the application still being considered by the council.
For more beautiful Wetherspoons, check out these 11 prettiest pubs, from a former opera house to a Victorian bath house.
Plus, where to find the world’s smallest Wetherspoons that has NO toilets.
How can I save money at Wetherspoons?
FREE refills – Buy a £1.50 tea, coffee or hot chocolate and you can get free refills. The deal is available all day, every day.
Check a map – Prices can vary from one location the next, even those close to each other.
So if you’re planning a pint at a Spoons, it’s worth popping in nearby pubs to see if you’re settling in at the cheapest.
Choose your day – Each night the pub chain runs certain food theme nights.
For instance, every Thursday night is curry club, where diners can get a main meal and a drink for a set price cheaper than usual.
Pick-up vouchers – Students can often pick up voucher books in their local near universities, which offer discounts on food and drink, so keep your eyes peeled.
Get appy – The Wetherspoons app allows you to order and pay for your drink and food from your table – but you don’t need to be in the pub to use it.
Taking full advantage of this, cheeky customers have used social media to ask their friends and family to order them drinks. The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.
Check the date – Every year, Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.
It usually takes place in September, and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.
As well as its 12-day Real Ale Festival every Autumn, Wetherspoons also holds a Spring Festival.
The Wetherspoons in St Matthew’s Hall is getting its second renovation in two years[/caption]