Whenever we hear of a pub shutting down, our heart breaks. The Queens Arms on Newhall Street, which has to be one of the prettiest pub exteriors in Birmingham, was no different. Suddenly shut earlier this month (January 13), the Grade II-listed pub won’t be gone for too long.
Star Pubs & Bars, who have taken over The Queens Arms, will reopen the pub later this year. The Heineken-owned pub company already run 2,400 pubs in the country – including the Fox & Goose in Birmingham and the Minerva Inn in Wolverhampton. First, the historic boozer will undergo a £275,000 refurbishment, which will include repainting the woodwork a “dark heritage grey”.
Other additions will include festoon lighting to the sheltered courtyard, new furniture to seat 37 people, and an eye-catching mural. Not looking to change too much, the old fireplace, wooden bar, flooring and exposed brickwork will be restored to their former glory. But, a first-floor room will be opened to seat an extra 26 customers.
Its signature external signage and art nouveau style will be retained. The Queens Arms, which dates back to 1870, was used in the first series of Line of Duty – and is an iconic pub to many. So we’re sure the locals will be keeping a close eye on the works, which begin January 22 and will take two months.
Lee Dishington, Star Pubs & Bars’ investment manager for Birmingham said: “We’re delighted to be investing in such a landmark Birmingham pub to keep it thriving for the long term. We’ve taken real care to preserve The Queens Arms’ unique features and at the same time upgrade it throughout to create a really fantastic pub that adds to the existing eclectic mix of pubs around St Paul’s Square.”
The pub will be run day-to-day by licensee Oral Anderson, who has lived in Birmingham for 20 years and worked in pubs across the West Midlands. It will specialise in craft beer – five on the bar plus two cask ales on tap – plus specialist cans and bottles alongside premium lagers, spirits and wines. It will also run regular quizzes and comedy nights once it reopens.