Pub giant invests nearly £1m in two of Birmingham’s favourite venues

Two Birmingham pubs are set to reopen this week after benefiting from a near £1 million cash injection from Britain’s biggest pub company.

The Slug & Lettuce on Brindleyplace reopens this Friday 1 March after Stonegate invested £650,000 in refitting its modern premises facing the nearby Waters Edge bandstand.

And The Brasshouse on Broad Street reopens today after the company paid £304,000 to refurbish the Grade II-listed venue, which dates back to 1781.

Mike Olley, general manager of Westside BID, said: "Birmingham's golden mile of Broad Street and the surrounding area of Westside is going to be shining even more brightly thanks to this near £1 million investment by Stonegate."

The Brasshouse was first opened as a pub by Ansells 40 years ago. Its reopening on Thursday’s Leap Year Day will create 15 new front of house jobs as well as an extra 15 dining covers outside.

Al fresco diners will overlook the picturesque Birmingham Old Main Line Canal which runs below the adjacent Black Sabbath Bridge, home to Broad Street’s world-famous Black Sabbath Bench, itself currently undergoing restoration.

Chris Mason, manager at The Brasshouse, said: “The last investment into The Brasshouse was more than ten years ago, so it’s really exciting to have the space revamped.

“We want to make our pub the ultimate place on Broad Street to have a pint, a glass of wine or a cocktail whether you’re an office worker, weekend visitor or party-goer."

The Slug & Lettuce refurbishment includes a new colour scheme, a VIP booth with marble and tabletops, mirrorballs, murals, neon lights and ‘theatrical’ cocktail glasses.

Becky Southern, head of marketing at the Slug & Lettuce, said: “The latest development brings the Birmingham Slug & Lettuce into the fold of our next generation sites as we continue to monitor and tweak the concept as we roll out.”

The twin investments by Stonegate are worth a combined £954,000 and follow other major redevelopments at the heart of Birmingham’s best-loved entertainment area.

Verve Lounge recently opened in the home of the old Bobby Browns on Gas Street – with the promise of other parts of the canalside building to be redeveloped with various themes over time.

Meanwhile, the city’s favourite nightclub Snobs is set to leave Smallbrook Queensway this weekend – before reopening in Broad Street’s totally transformed Velvet Music Rooms site on 13 March.

Pictured: The Brasshouse during its makeover – reopening today