The Billy Wright, Wolverhampton

Lots of light in here compared to previous incarnations, but to be honest its just an open space for cheap beer/spirit drinkers. Not sure if its meant to appeal to football fans drowning their sorry or pre nightclubbers. Sorry, but a bit of an insult to the great man. Beer quality is dreadful.

This pub was known as The Greyhound for many years until it closed in the late 80’s, it then suffered many unsuccessful changes of ownership in a short space of time which resulted in several changes of name to Little Austria, Cadillac’s, The Feline and Firkin, The Tube, The Bedroom and the Koi Bar. It has now been bought and refurbished by Amber Taverns who have again renamed the pub after one of Wolverhampton Wanderers most successful players, who also played for England on 105 occasions and captained the team 90 times. The slightly Georgian looking building has a front left corner entrance which leads into a single open plan room with the bar counter along the right hand wall towards the front of the pub, a cast iron fire place with tile surround and dark wood mantle piece in the left hand wall opposite the bar, carpeted floor in the front section of the room and wood floor at the back, the front area has brown leather bench seats while the rear area has high brown leather seats and tables. I counted at least seven large flat screen TV’s dotted around the room either showing current football or Wolves footage from the 50’s (when they were good!) and you guessed it, Wolves memorabilia on the bits of wall that didn’t have a TV. In the back left corner of the room are doors which lead out to a small covered patio area, mainly for smokers. Regular ales are currently Banks’s Bitter and Mild with two changing guest beers which were Marston’s Old Empire and Caledonian Santa’s Little Helper on this visit. Not the most exciting selection but this is a free house and its early days. The Mild and Caledonian were good and the prices were reasonable. Not a bad start but the décor is a bit arty farty for my taste with black and silver wallpaper and lots of modern light fittings. The pub was officially opened on the 13th of December which was the 57th anniversary of Wolves beating Hungarian club, Honved 3-2 in an early European friendly. It has been styled as a modern sports bar to attract all the match day drinkers and on first impressions I think it will be very popular with many of them. I will drink in here again, probably with friends who are also footy fans, the 50’s footage was actually very interesting.