Green light for £15m redevelopment of city centre venue

Wetherspoon’s revised planning application for The Moon Under Water pub in the city centre has been approved by the City of Wolverhampton Council.

The pub chain will embark on £15m redevelopment of the Lichfield Street venue, adding a new storey and 25 more hotel rooms on top of existing plans that will generate around 70 new jobs.

The existing permission included the creation of a heritage centre in the basement, a conversion of the first, second, and third floors into a 71-bedroom hotel, external and internal alterations including a refurbished and enlarged public house on the ground floor, a first-floor rear garden terrace, and a new shopfront.

An additional 21 rooms will be built in the new fourth storey as well as four more rooms in an extension over an existing flat roof.

The vacant space above the pub, with its Art Deco frontage, has been unoccupied for more than 33 years since the closure of the old Co-op store.

City of Wolverhampton Council Leader, Cllr Stephen Simkins, said: “The expanded planning application from Wetherspoon to develop additional hotel rooms on top of its already extensive original proposal demonstrates great confidence in Wolverhampton and will breathe new life into a space at the heart of the city centre. It is an exciting proposition that will boost our hotel offer and provide jobs for local people.

“The council’s city centre transformation works are creating better public spaces that will attract more visitors and enable businesses to thrive and grow through a blended approach of retail supported by events and activities in quality public spaces and city centre living.

“The works on Victoria Street and North Street are demonstrating this and have enhanced the visitor experience for more than 100,000 people who have so far attended events at The Halls Wolverhampton since it reopened. We welcome this redevelopment from Wetherspoon – one of the biggest chains in the hospitality sector.”

Wetherspoon spokesman, Eddie Gershon, said: “We are delighted that the new planning application has been approved. The development highlights our commitment to the pub, its customers and staff and to the city of Wolverhampton itself.”