The community pub run by a woman who 'was stuck here' in lockdown - but decided she didn't want to leave

The Bear in Bridgnorth is a pub which carries a lineage going all the way back to the 1860s, with the origin of the name believed to have come from bear baiting, which was practised in the town until it was made illegal in 1835.

The Grade II-listed building has been on Northgate since it was first opened in 1868, moving over time from 28 to 24 Northgate and was once famed as a place that brewed its own beer, with the coppers and handpump still visible in the former brewhouse at the rear.

Nowadays, it's a pub which has a single bar serving two areas, with one side having a sports area with pool table, TV and gaming machine, which the other carries a different look, decorated with French windows leading to a neatly laid out garden with a deck patio.

The garden has a smoking shelter and outdoor TV and it also gives access to the town car park and weekend outdoor market.

Owned by Craft Union, the pub is currently run by landlady Faye White, who moved in four years ago to help train someone and then, in her words, got stuck there because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She explains: "I was working at another pub in Wolverhampton and got asked if I could come over here as they had a gentleman who needed training and they asked me to come and help out, but then lockdown happened and I was stuck here.

"Since then, I've never left and been here since, but I've always lived this side of Wolverhampton and always had Bridgnorth on my doorstep.

"When I came here and it locked down, it was a bit awkward as I didn't really know anyone, so I found it a bit difficult to suss people out and when we reopened, it was much of the same, but I gradually got to know the people and what they wanted from the pub."

The pub is entirely wet-led, with no food on offer apart from pub snacks like crisps, peanuts and scratchings, but Ms White describes the pub was very much community-led and welcoming.

She also says that as an ale drinker herself, she has had more input into what ales should go on the four handpulls in the pub.

"I'm a member of CAMRA and I think the beers sell really well here as I drink it myself and have a good idea of what should be sold.

"We have Timothy Taylor Landlord on quite a lot and Bass goes on really well here as well, plus we also have two beers that are changeovers, so we change quite regularly.

"We're a Craft Union pub and while they've just signed a new deal with Marston's and they're our main supplier, we can order outside of Marston's as long as we ask permission from Head office, and they're quite happy with us doing that."

In terms of the pub and the atmosphere, Ms White feels it's a place that's welcoming and provides a good vibe with lots of banter, as well as being one of the cheaper pubs in Bridgnorth and with an older crowd who don't cause any trouble.

She pinpoints that as what makes it special; a friendly pub that anyone could come along to.

"The customers are just lovely people and there's people of all ages and who all know each other, so you have granddads and grandsons come in and all sitting at different ends and everyone knows everyone, so it's just a nice vibe.

"You can come here and have a good night, whether that's on a date or coming in to watch the sport or sit in the beer garden."