Wetherspoon sets sights on giving listed pub near West Bromwich a makeover
A listed public house operated by JD Wetherspoons near West Bromwich will undergo major refurbishment work if planners give the new proposals the green light.
Wetherspoon's wants to rearrange the rooms at the Grade II building known as The Court Of Requests in Church Street in Oldbury town centre.
The company has lodged an application with Sandwell Council to reconfigure the premises which would involve the installation of new stud walls to create new rooms within staff facilities area, plastering, painting, replacement of safety flooring, staircase and corridor work, removal of the existing back of house door, window repairs, installation of a lay-in-grid suspended ceiling in the staff room, installation of a new air conditioning condenser unit in the bin storage area, and reinforcement to the bar supports so that additional glass-rack baskets can be fitted.
In addition the existing staff room and staff toilets would be reconfigured to allow for a larger staff room and new female staff facilities for two cubicles and and a changing room. while the existing store room would be reconfigured to create a new male staff facilities for two cubicles and a changing room.
Built in 1816, the former court house and library is one of the oldest buildings in the town. It was originally the town's Court of Requests and included a jail with cells for male and female prisoners.
In July 1820 an order was issued that ‘no kinds of provisions, ale, spirits or drinkables be allowed to be received or taken into the prisoners for their use of any description whatever, except a loaf of bread weighing 1lb for each person per day’.
Wetherspoons opened it as the Court of Requests pub in January 2012 after giving it a a £1.25 million makeover.
Prior to that it was home to Oldbury Library, which it had been since 1979 until its closure in 2011 before moving to Jack Judge House in nearby Halesowen Street. The library has since relocated to Oldbury Council House opposite.
The Court of Requests is among the best rated Wetherspoons in the region. Many of the chain's sites have been restoration projects at unique buildings.
Wetherspoon’s chairman and founder, Tim Martin, said: “We take immense pride in the restoration and refurbishment of wonderful buildings into Wetherspoon pubs. We feel that it is right to celebrate the history of the buildings.”
He launched the business in 1979 and known for his strong focus on customer service, and his democratic management style. He started the company after qualifying as a barrister and is actively involved in running the business, often visiting pubs and interacting with staff.
Other's sites include Walsall's St Matthew's, Bilston's Sir Henry Newbolt, the Showman in Bloxwich, Dudley's Full Moon and Wednesbury's The Bellwether, and Wolverhampton's Moon Under Water.
A decision over the revamp plans for the Court of Requests will be made in the near future. The application DC/25/71226 can be found on the council's website.
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