Popular Wolverhampton sports pub to undergo £1.5m Toby Carvery renovation - creating around 30 jobs for the local area
A popular sports pub in Wolverhampton is set to undergo a £1.5million renovation to be transformed into a Toby Carvery, bringing around 30 new jobs to the area.
The Cleveland Arms on Stowheath Lane in Moseley Village is expected to open 'with Toby Carvery branding' in September this year, subject to planning.
The pub is currently run by Sizzling Pub and Grill - a company owned by restaurant giant Mitchells & Butlers.
A spokesperson for Toby Carvery said they will offer current staff the opportunity to stay on, and that their plan was to 'always remain a community pub'.
They also said they will continue to invite the darts teams and keep the Sky Sports airing on screens in the pub area.
Their full statement read: "We are very excited to be bringing Toby Carvery to Willenhall and we are committed to becoming the heart of the local community.
"We know how important the Cleveland Arms is to the local people and this sense of community, including its name alongside the Toby branding, will continue.
"We have many very successful Toby's all around the country that form a key part of the local community. There are some fantastic community-oriented Toby’s in Birmingham area, for example at Hall Green and Castle Bromwich.
"The residents living in Willenhall will see a huge investment of more than £1.5m converting the Cleveland Arms to a Toby. This will create more than 30 new jobs for local people.
"The Cleveland Arms will retain a pub and bar area which will continue to show sport and will continue to welcome its darts teams, whilst hosting the famous Toby Carvery breakfast and carvery offer. Toby is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and we are delighted that the Cleveland Arms will soon be part of our Toby Family"
With over one hundred years of history, The Cleveland Arms has hosted many a famous face, including Wolves legends Steve Bull and Andy Mutch and star actor, Idris Elba.
When word first spread about the sports pub turning into the chain carvery, residents were not too happy - a petition was started to 'save The Cleveland Arms', with 722 people penning their name to it in the last 48 hours.
Many shared their fond memories at the pub, which has taken on many forms over the years as a dance hall and a music venue - Slade and the Montanas are among those to have rocked the stage there.
But the new bosses say it was 'always in their plan' to keep The Cleveland Arms as a community pub with the residents at the heart of it.
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