Neil and Natasha will be reopening the Unicorn Inn on Lower Corve Street in mid-May. The new owners of the inn are Black Country Ales.
In recent years the pub has never quite found the sweet spot between being a restaurant and a place for a drink. Black Country Ales are clear. This will be a drinking pub with no cooked meals. Only cobs, pork pies, scotch eggs and similar food will be offered.
The planning and listed building consent applications are retrospective as work is already underway (25/01085/FUL; 25/01232/LBC). The building is Grade II listed and is 18th century with a 16th to 17th century core.
The plans are to create disabled access to the building including ramps and a disabled toilet. The former kitchen is being converted into a chilled beer store. The basement beer cellar will be redundant because it floods. Other works currently in progress include creation of accomodation for th managers, the refurbishment of the front bar, refurbishment of existing toilets, refurbishment of patio and existing smoking shelter including external decorations. The work is de minimis and does not involve any structural works or alterations.
The pub will no longer offer accomodation.
Neil and Natasha are currently recruiting staff, including cleaners, front of house and cellar (contact Neil on WhatsApp 07711143299).
This is very welcome news. An empty building is coming back into use. We will have another local venue in Ludlow.
They Produce good beer and their pub in Birmingham, The Wellington, has won several national awards. That is a drinkers pub par excellence with no food offered at all, but about 16 different beers and ciders on hand pumps. They allow you to take your own food. I would have thought a pub in the Unicorn’s location with no food offering would struggle, but what do I know. Incidentally the Brewery came in for a lot of stick nationally when after one complaint The Wellington got rid of two cats who were a very popular fixture with regulars.
Wishing Neil and Natasha good luck with their new venture! Was really saddened to see this lovely venue close so was excited to hear that it’s reopening albeit with new owners and managers once the renovations are complete. A new beginning for the Unicorn. 😍
Good to see the Unicorn will be open again. However the idea of a drinking pub with just bar snacks is a backward move. People tend to frequent pubs with good food. It sounds very 1960’s !