Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Komakino
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Lych Gate Tavern, Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
WV1 1TX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Lych Gate Tavern
Opened in summer 2012 in one of Wolverhampton's oldest buildings (dating in part back to 1500), the Lych Gate Tavern is a fine traditional alehouse run by the reliable Black Country Ales group. The pub is split over two levels, with the main entrance taking you onto a landing area with stairs down to the bar or up to the lounge and toilets. The bar area is split roughly in two, with a fairly open area straight ahead from the bottom of the stairs and a seating area over to the left. The room is carpeted with the servery running in an L shape in the rear corner. The bar area has room for three tables served by one padded bench and some standard chairs, with a large beer board on the wall opposite the servery coming in very handy on my visit during the peak post-match hours. There are some nice old pictures on the walls, mainly of the local area but also including some of the pub in its former guise as the Bird in Hand, whilst framed newspaper clippings set out some of the pub's history. The servery has a dark wood counter and bar back and had been adorned with various bits of BCA merchandise. The seating area initially appears quite small, but quite a large number of people seemed to be comfortably arranged in there on this visit, relaxing on the standard and banquette seating options in an area decorated with more interesting old pictures and a modern decorative frieze. A shelf near the staircase had a few books and the day's papers on it for customer's perusal. The upstairs lounge bar is quite a cosy looking space with a compact servery on the end wall, lots of ancient looking dark wood beams and a good amount of standard tables and chairs. A lift near the front door allows disabled customers to access either bar. Signs on the front door advised me that the pub was for home fans only on match days, but I was able to gain access without being questioned and I got the impression that well behaved away fans are tolerated but not encouraged - football colours obviously would need to be hidden.
As with all BCA pubs, the ale range was excellent with options on this visit comprising, Potbelly Bellowhead (Hedonism) and Pigs Do Fly, Vibrant Black Forest Porter, BCA Pig on the Wall Mild, BFG and English Winter, Three Kings Coach House and Everards Sunchaser, plus one real cider. It's been a while since I tried a BCA brew, so I decided to give the BFG a go and ended up with a really excellent pint.
This is clearly a great asset to the Wolverhampton drinking scene and another fine showcase for Black Country Ales. It's a shame the pub was packed on this visit, as I would've loved to settle down over a few pints, but it has at least given me a good reason to return, as if I really needed one.
On 14th January 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
George Love left this review about Lych Gate Tavern
Absolutely the best Tavern in the town.with a great atmosphere and character in this 16th century old building. My local now and the only pub in Wolverhampton that I drink in. Right in the heart of town.I Look foreward to my mondays with my mates. Great hosts, Great real ales, cobs at 50p what more could you ask for/ Ozzie George.
On 11th October 2014
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Lych Gate Tavern
Despite the long history detailed below about the site of this pub it looked to me like an office conversion but that doesn't stop it being a great place for beer. It is an odd layout where you have to descend some steps to get to the bar, but once there you are greeted by 10 handpumps. These were serving Black Country Pig On The Wall, Bradley's Finest Golden & Fireside, Beowulf Gold Work & Chiller, an Axholme beer that I can't read the name of, Dancing Duck Gold, Plain Ales Inncognito and a cider called Hairy Ferret. I went for the Fireside (£2.90) which was in very good condition. It's definitely worth the extra walk away from the bus and train stations to include this one.
On 15th June 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Lych Gate Tavern
Another superb pub owned by Black Country ales. The pub was busy on our Thusday afternoon visit. The landlady was friendly and chatty even though the bar was busy. There were ten handpumps in operation, one of which was a cider. I enjoyed the Black Country ales Mild called Pig on the Wall and their Bradleys Finest Golden ale. I see Soup Dragon has put a decent foto on of the upstairs function room, which am glad to say we too had a look up there. Well worth a visit this one.
On 10th November 2013
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Lych Gate Tavern
A terraced Georgian styled building that has a patio area. It is in brick, with white window sills and keystones, white dog tooth cornice and white quions. The entrance is to the side and the pub extends to two floor (function room, with a bar if needed), which is useful as the stair and disabled lift near bisect the downstairs room - meaning it isnt the biggest (nor is the serving bar) so it can get pretty crowded. The decor is white and wood beam and the usual BCA posters, with old photos of the area are on the walls. There isnt a TV and the music was general and soft. Beer; usual keg drinks with the three BCA handpulls (the Pig MILD being excellent). Other handpulls included; Robinson's Dizzy Blonde, Heritage's Empire IPA, Stakes' Upland, Launceston's Castle, Tunnel's Meadowland (turned), Wood Farm no8 and Cottage's MM Norman Conquest (decent). I have visited this place so many times - was there on the opening night. Simply class. A must.
On 9th June 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Lych Gate Tavern
As mentioned this is a Black Country Ales house, fairly newly opened and a definite welcome addition to Wolverhampton's pubs. As it's built on a hill and the entrance is up the hill it has the feel of a cellar bar as you reach the bar by stairs. Its been very nicely modernised with good quality woodwork and furniture including leather upholstered benches. Standard pub décor of old photos but on pastel walls of the odd shaped room. The ten handpumps serve Black Country Ales plus a range from micros far and wide of impeccable quality. The buildings in an early 17th century timber framed one, as can be seen in the upstairs function room. The pub is also very accessible to wheelchairs in spite of its age and awkward shape.
On 8th October 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3276 recommendations about 2982 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ale Monster left this review about Lych Gate Tavern
This fantastic new addition to Wolverhampton city centre which opened on 24th August is owned by Black Country Ales of Gornal, Dudley. However the building is far from new and is officially grade II listed as the Lichfield Chambers and is a real gem having been originally built around 1550 except for the frontage which was rebuilt in the 1720’s. The building has been used as a public house before, it was The Bird in Hand coaching inn between the late 1500’s to around the 1850’s when the area was redeveloped and the building became known as Copes Wine Lodge which was a wine and spirits merchant until around 1954, the building has been used as offices by various companies since then. The interior has been sympathetically refurbished by BCA with original beams and rough plastered walls retained alongside new additions to make the building safe. The main entrance is from the St Peters church lich gate side which is Georgian in appearance, through the door you will find half a dozen steps leading down into a single room with a small but lovely carved dark wood bar counter along the left wall. There are two seating areas as the room is pinched in the middle by the stairs and the bar counter, opposite the bar is a chalk board of ales and around a dozen chairs and in the front left of the room is another two dozen places divided into booths with burgundy leather bench seating, in the right hand wall (which backs onto the stairs) is a nice cast iron fire place with tiled surround and dark wood mantle piece. There is a door in the back left corner next to the counter which leads out to a small courtyard with a couple of tables that is down a dozen steps, from here you can see the original 16th century timber building. From the entrance you can also go up stairs where there is a function room overlooking the courtyard and the toilets, also next to the entrance is a wheelchair lift which just shows the thought and planning that went into making this place work, although if you are in a wheelchair then you may find it a bit of a squeeze in here and there is no access to the courtyard.
Regular ales will be Black Country Ales Fireside, Bradley’s Finest Golden and Pig on the Wall (Mild) with seven changing guest beers which on my second visit (when I stopped gawping and remembered to make some notes!) were Broughs Bitter, Backyard The Hoard, Slaters Maravilla, Peerless Hilbre Gold, Atlas Nimbus, Traditional Scottish Ales Sheriffmuir and Saltaire Blackberry Cascade. The Slaters and Saltaire are fruit beers which isn’t my kind of thing but the rest were all in excellent condition. Cobs are available from the bar for 50p each.
A tremendous effort from BCA, the city centre (inside the ring road at least) has been crying out for a decent traditional drinkers pub for a while now, Posada and Tap and Spile have slipped in recent years in my opinion and the Hogs is great for beer but lacks character. The couple who have taken the place on were previously at the Black Country Arms in Walsall which has a very good reputation and was voted 2012 Walsall CAMRA pub of the year but was then ironically removed from the main listings of the GBG 2013 as the licensees had moved! It has been very busy in the first couple of weeks and I can’t see this place having any trouble competing if they keep the quality up. Could become a regular haunt for me if she who must be obeyed allows it of course.
On 19th September 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 199 recommendations about 199 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Lych Gate Tavern
A Black Country Ales pub smack bang in the middle of the City and adjoining St Peters Church and, surprisingly Lich Gates.
Its a very old building, very rare here, which makes it quite compact inside - its has a very similar feel to their Wellington offering in Birmingham, however this building has MUCH more character, especially around the bar area, including the wood panel at the back. This is a much needed beer drinkers pub in central Wolverhampton, which is sadly lacking among the chain and trendy bars elsewhere in the centre and starved of beer
The bar is down a flight of stairs, with the toilets upstairs and a disabled lift as access.
The back entrance/outside area backs onto Lich Gates - not sure if this serves as access to the street, but there is a gate.
10 real ales, the quality is simply brilliant.
On 29th August 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]