We visited two Wolverhampton pubs which have been revived and given new life thanks to the dedicated people who run them

It is a sobering statistic that reveals how more than 2,000 pubs have closed across the UK since 2020, but amid the doom and gloom, there are still plenty of pubs which have survived and thrived due to the passion of the people who took over the running of them.

Two pubs in the West Midlands which have gone from nothing to become popular and thriving community hubs are The Olde Vicarage in Bilbrook and The Barley Mow in Penn in Wolverhampton.

These are also two pubs I’ve had an association with through writing about them, as well as having gone to one at different stages over the years, so I took a visit to both to see what they were like and to chat with the landlords who’ve brought them back to life.

The Olde Vicarage has a prominent place on Bilbrook Road in the centre of the village, just 200 metres from the railway station, and is set inside a former vicarage, hence the name.

On a cool October evening, I travelled over to meet with the landlord George Price, who I’d previously met when he wanted to let people know the pub was actually open for business.

This related to the previous landlords having left the pub in September 2024 and the pub had laid dormant until George and his team moved in a month later.

Since then, George said the pub had become a very popular place with a wide range of characters frequenting it, brought in by the varied beer selection, the unique architecture and the warm and friendly welcome.

Walking in, you do get that warm and welcoming feeling from those people in there, with George welcoming me in and introducing me to people who lived in the local area. I’d been down before, so I remembered the configuration of the pub and where the bar was.

This is where the Old Vicarage makes its name as the hand pull ales tend to change regularly to mix things up and always provide variety.

I went down the list of what was on, which include Blonde Brummie from Birmingham Brewing Co. and Gravity Pils Lager from Bristol Beer Factory, and settled on Century Gold from Fixed Wheel Brewery in Halesowen, a very good microbrewery.

What followed showed why the Olde Vicarage is a popular place for a beer as the pint came to me with the right colour and look and with a very moreish and rich taste, slightly sweet to begin with and then hitting with a citrus kick. It’s a pint with a lot of flavour.

There are always at least 14 different ales, lagers, stouts and ciders on at the Olde Vicarage, including two types of Cornish Rattler, Nightjar Stout and the Cider House Special.

Alongside that is a rich variety of bar snacks, from five different flavours of crisps from Just Crisps, to fully filled cobs and some excellent scotch eggs, with the Balti one I had tangy and flavourful, with the outer coating well-seasoned and the egg not being overpowering.

The upstairs bar was busy as a weekly darts tournament took place, while a steady stream of people and four-legged friends came in for a quiet drink and a chat with the gregarious George, as well as catch up on the England vs Wales game on the TV (Spoiler alert: England won handsomely).

I enjoyed a Citra Star from Anarchy Brew Co. as my final drink before heading home, a pint again with a nice citrus kick to it and something you could happily sit and drink through an afternoon session or night out.

George Price’s passion for the pub is very clear, from the beer selection to the feel of the place, and he is a man who said pubs like the Olde Vicarage were very important for keeping the pub industry alive.

He said: "We've got to keep these going in the community as we know there are pubs closing down left, right and centre and if we lose places like this, people will suffer as they will lose a place that they can come to and have a conversation with people.

"I would say to people that we have fabulous bar staff and fantastic beers, ales, wines and spirits and a venue which is just two minutes from the railway station and in a great location, so come on down and have a nice pint."

Across the city on the edge of Penn Common is a pub which, without a group of concerned locals putting their money where their mouth is, could have gone the same way as the Crooked House and closed its doors forever.

The Barley Mow has been on the site on Penn Common since 1630 and has undergone a number of changes, including an extension being added near a decade ago, but it has still retained its authentic look.

I remember going there with my parents as a child, playing on the grounds nearby, then going back in my mid-30s with my girlfriend at the time to enjoy a few drinks and a meal, so I know about the historic resonance it carries.

It was another pub which could have disappeared from the public view due to lack of custom, but for a group of local residents who love the pub coming together and taking on the running of the Barley Mow from Punch Pubs & Co.

After giving the pub a new lick of paint and renovating several other areas, the team reopened the pub at the end of May and have, since then, attracted a good regular crowd through events such as Halloween craft sessions and a beer festival and through serving good beer and food.

On a calm and cool November evening, I made my way over (I live in Penn, so it’s a nice walk there) to meet Danielle and Marc Everitt, two of the management team, on what was the Barley Mow’s regular cheese night, with a huge platter of different cheeses, meats and bread on offer for anyone to pick from.

One of the notable features of the pub is the low-slung entrance and some of the lower ceilings (I did bump my head on the ceiling area near one of the snugs three times), but also a good feeling and warm welcome.

The beer selection is excellent as well, with Wye Valley favourites Butty Bach and HPA all on the hand pulls, as well as the very drinkable Proper Job from St Austell.

Both Marc and Danielle were happy to see me and chat with me about how well business was going, what had worked and what needed another go to get right and future plans for the pub, particularly with the festive season coming.

It’s a nice and cosy pub, with two designated seating areas and a large outside area, plus a marquee which had been the venue for the beer festival, while the bar is enclosed inside a small area, covered with bank notes from around the world.

The chatter was good as well, with families and friends enjoying a drink and bantering back and forth with each other, as well as fussing over some of the dogs which had come in from an evening walk.

As I was nearer home, I was able to enjoy a few more of the beers, with the HPA and Butty Bach being especially good, well kept and with a nice and crisp taste, and also have some red Leicester and some very strong cheddar cheese.

I could have stayed for a meal if I’d wanted as the kitchen was busy with pies and steaks and other delicious looking hot meals constantly being brought out.

Marc and Danielle Everitt have both said before that they felt the pub had been unloved for a while and it was worth taking the plunge to keep a place they love alive.

Marc said: "It might have been a moment of madness for us to take over the pub, but we just care about it so much and I felt it had been in a sorry state and we were fed up with coming down here and there might not be enough drink selection or the kitchen was closed.

"We just felt it was unloved and felt that we could put a bit of a local touch to it, having drunk here for 18 years, and I just think we have the right ideas to make it work."

Danielle said: "We want to bring it back to how it was as it's always been a community pub and it's always been a dog pub, which a lot of our punters loved about the place.

"It's always been special and always been a bit different to the other pubs in Penn, but it hasn't felt like that, as of late, so that's what we want to bring it back to."

With enough love, care and attention, any pub can be a success and not be another statistic of a closure. The Barley Mow and The Olde Vicarage are two pubs which have a lot of love from the people who run them and the people who come to drink in them.