We visited a Tettenhall pub which has survived the threat of demolition and become a lively and friendly community hub

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This seemed the fate of the Claregate on Codsall Road as the owners Marston's had laid out plans in 2015 to sell the site to care home firm Crown Care, but through a determined campaign by locals and members of the Save Our Claregate group, the pub was saved from demolition.

The locals were able to register the pub as an asset of community value and, since then, the pub has become a popular venue for people in the area, as well as passing trade on the busy Codsall Road.

The pub was built in 1935 and served as Wolves' legend Billy Wright's local when it was known as The Fieldhouse in the 1950s, with the name changing in the 1970s to the Claregate.

Over time, the rooms were amalgamated into two large but distinctive areas with seating arranged in bays. The dance floor remained underneath the carpet.

Today, the Claregate is a large open plan pub with a central bar, with a drink focused section near the main entrance and dining area surrounding the rest of the pub.

There are TV's spaced throughout the pub, a pool table and a function room that is home to the dart board, while there is an enclosed beer garden at the front of the pub that looks onto Claregate park across the road. The garden occasionally hosts outside events in the summer.

Assistant manager Dave Kelly was at the pub at the time, having worked there at various times since 2014 and having grown up across the road from the Claregate.

He said: "I used to live on one of the streets nearby, so it's always been a local to me and when I was eight-years-old, I would be in there with my family and I always get the memories of that when I come here.

"My brother worked here before I did, so it's always been a family tradition and I've now been here the longest out of my two brothers James and Adam.

"I've actually left twice, but I've always ended up coming back and I ended up becoming the assistant managers as Sam Wilkes, who was the manager when I came back, took me on two years ago and must have seen something in me."

Mr Kelly said he had seen a change in the pub over the years, saying that Covid had had an impact, but said that Sam Wilkes had made a difference as manager by making things cleaner, including the beer, which he said was a passion of his as well.

He said: "I've always love beer and one of my main focuses was to get the cellar right and get the beer to, hopefully, be the best it can be, so Sam was happy for me to take control of.

"It means that we've been able to get different beers in, particularly ones I want to try, and also get some help from CAMRA, and I think we've managed that as the pub is just getting busier and busier."

Being a Marston's pub, the Claregate sells beers from the core range, including Wainwright's and Banks's Amber, which Mr Kelly said were probably the most popular beers at the pub, along local favourites like Holden's Golden Glow and beers from Salopian Brewery.

He said: "Those two are our best sellers by a long way, but we also have a lot of lager drinkers who like Carling and Birra Moretti, plus a lot of people also like Strongbow and Inches cider, plus the cider in the bag from Lily's."

The Claregate is also a foodie pub, so provides a lot of choice, such as pub classics like burgers and fish and chips, as well as a popular Sunday Roast, and pizzas made in an oven at the front of the pub.

For Dave Kelly, the Claregate is all about the community as that was the core of what they did at the pub.

He said: "It really is all about community and having people coming together, having a great time and enjoying the entertainment when we have it on.

"You can see it when we've got bands on as everyone has a good time and a laugh and people will come here for functions, such as weddings and parties.

"We have a beer festival this year and a celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the pub being saved called Gatefest, so we're looking forward to more people coming together and enjoying themselves here."