Wetherspoons, a significant and sometimes controversial presence in the British pub industry since 1979, has become a popular destination for people of all ages across Birmingham. Known for competitive pricing and straightforward atmospheres, the chain made its appearance in the city during the 1990s.
One distinctive aspect of Wetherspoons' approach has been their skill in converting unusual historic buildings into pubs. Their investments have revitalised former banks, theatres, courthouses, and other characterful properties, bringing new life while preserving unique heritage.
Here are five notable Wetherspoon pubs across Birmingham, each with an intriguing previous identity and a meaningful name-some evoking nostalgia for locals.
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Situated on Corporation Street, The Square Peg occupies a vast ground-floor space popular with diverse patrons, especially on weekend evenings. Many locals, however, remember this site as the former Lewis’s department store-a beloved city centre landmark that closed suddenly in 1991. Wetherspoons invested nearly £2 million transforming part of the old Lewis’s into their first venue in the Midlands, opening in January 1995. At launch, pints were priced at just 79p, a stark contrast to today’s costs. Even now, long-time Brummies often refer to “the Lewis building” when giving directions, underscoring the store’s lasting imprint on the city.
Moving on to Bennetts Hill, The Briar Rose pub opened in 2000 within a building that once housed a bank. Named after artwork by famed Birmingham artist Sir Edward Burne-Jones, the premises were converted at a cost exceeding £1 million. The last banking occupant was Abbey National, which closed in 1997. Remarkably, the vaults and a large vintage safe remain beneath the pub, adding to its distinctive charm.
The Figure of Eight is one of two Wetherspoon pubs on Broad Street, opening in June 1996 as the chain’s second city outlet. This venue replaced the Top Q clothing warehouse, which suffered extensive fire damage in 1986 that destroyed thousands of pounds’ worth of stock. Acquired and refurbished for just over £2 million, the pub’s name refers to the shape of England’s canal network converging at a “point” in Birmingham’s centre.
In Moseley Village stands The Elizabeth of York, named in honour of the landowner linked to St. Mary’s Church across the road. Originally, Wetherspoons planned a Tolkien-themed name, but withdrew following objections from the Tolkien Society. Before becoming a pub, the site was occupied by Gascoigne furnishers, a family business with longstanding commercial ties in Birmingham that also operates a funeral service in Kings Norton. The pub’s title acknowledges Elizabeth of York, whose marriage to Henry VII in 1486 symbolically ended the War of the Roses.
Finally, on Alum Rock Road is a typical Wetherspoon pub named after the Wolseley Hornet, a celebrated 1930s motor car manufactured nearby at Ward End Works. The building, 991 Alum Rock Road, was formerly a Lloyds Bank branch, part of Lloyds' proud history that traces back to founding Birmingham’s first bank in 1765 as Taylor and Lloyds.
These pubs illustrate how Wetherspoons has breathed new life into historic Birmingham buildings, blending the city’s rich past with a modern social hub.