How a Wolverhampton building destined to be flats is now a thriving pub and restaurant

That may be the case for the Orange Tree on Ward Street in Ettingshall, Wolverhampton, which was set to become a set of apartments before the Covid-19 pandemic struck and, once the restrictions had been lifted, a new estate had been built next to the site.

Co-owners Kash and Amardeep Rai then decided to convert the building into a pub and restaurant, with the Orange Tree officially opening in December 2022 with a full menu of Indian and Indo-Chinese fusion food, as well as a fully stocked bar of premium lagers, ciders and spirits.

Kash Rai says the couple had looked at the history of the area and have created the pub to honour the foundry which was located nearby and the people who had worked in it.

She also says it has become a viable prospect after the estate had been built.

"When we started working on this property seven years ago, there was nothing around here and our original plans was to convert into apartments, but the pandemic happened and the estate sprung up next to us, so we decided to convert it into a pub as people from the local foundry drank in pubs around here," she explains.

"The decor inside is related to the foundry, all the lighting and the interior and we've tried to keep everything related to that."

The pub carries a light and spacious feeling, with wooden floors and tables and bright lights around the restaurant and bar area, which has two sides near TV screens for people wanting to just drink and not eat.

Ms Rai says this is the first time she and her husband have ever run a pub, and that it has been a big hit with the locals and further afield, with the food being a big reason for its success, as well as help from people.

She continues: "Since we opened, it has been amazing and a really big hit with the locals and I think the main thing is that the chefs are top guys, so the food has been really important to them and the consistency is always there.

"We've had a lot of help with the drinks from a guy called Josh McKay, as we didn't know anything about them and he's been a real godsend for guiding us towards the drinks we serve.

"We don't have real ales or cask beers, but we do have a great selection of premium lagers and ciders and spirits, as well as wine and stuff like that.

"We have people coming from far and wide for the food, but what we do is more geared to the local market and people really like the grills and the curries we make."

Ms Rai says the pub has gained some very good feedback on Tripadvisor and other sites, saying that the reviews have come from people she doesn't know, something that the world to her as it shows the pub is providing a good service.

She says that for a pub which she hasn't expected to have to and to run, it has been a happy accident to end up with a popular bar and restaurant.

She adds: "We never ever thought about a business like this and we kind of fell into it because we had other businesses and, following Covid, they had all gone pear-shaped, so we sold up and decided to do a pub, which was a challenge as we'd never done hospitality before.

"It really has been a happy accident and we are always very busy, with sometimes up to 65 people in a really nice and cosy environment which is well located for locals and passing trade."