Wetherspoons set to open £7million MUSEUM and 70-bedroom hotel
The proposed development will tell the story of Spoons in a redeveloped pub in Wolverhampton, West Midlands
BELOVED pub chain Wetherspoons is set to raise the bar by opening a £7million MUSEUM and 70-bedroom hotel.
Plans have been submitted to renovate The Moon Under Water pub in Wolverhampton to tell the story of the leading British boozing institution.
Businessman Tim Martin opened the first Wetherspoons in 1979 which led to the creation of a chain of much loved no-fuss boozers, where any time of day is suitable for a full English and a pint.
It's now established a UK-wide reputation as a dependable friend offering punters cheap dinners and a unique carpet experience.
And now Spoons' draft plans for the museum and hotel are set to pour new life into a pub which has stood empty for more than 30 years.
Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "We have great plans for the popular The Moon Under Water pub.
"We believe this will be great for the pub, its customers and just as importantly the city itself.
"We feel the museum will prove popular with people who want to know more of the history of the company and see artefacts from the past.
"The fact that Wetherspoons wishes to house it in Wolverhampton is positive for the city."
The Moon Under Water is on the ground floor of Wolverhampton's sprawling former Co-op department store building.
The 40,000 square feet Art Deco space was a jewel in the city's crown for decades but has stood empty for more than 30 years, with only the ground floor still open for business.
From the day it opened in 1931, customers travelled from across the Midlands to shop there but in recent years the upstairs storeys have been boarded up with crumbling walls, collapsed ceilings and rotten window frames.
Wetherspoon operates around 900 pubs, including the chain of Lloyds No 1 bars and a growing number of Wetherspoon hotels.
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Wolverhampton's cabinet member for city economy, Cllr John Reynolds, said: "This planning application from Wetherspoon is very welcome, subject to approval, will breathe new life into this building.
"There is currently £1 billion investment in the city centre and this exciting scheme is another example of the growing in confidence in our city.
"It will deliver a significant number of jobs and for a national chain like Wetherspoon to choose City of Wolverhampton for its national museum is an honour."
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