By James Vukmirovic
Hundreds of people came to The Claregate pub between Friday and Sunday to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the successful Save Our Claregate campaign with the weekend-long festival Gatefest.
The campaign to save the pub on Codsall Road in Tettenhall began after the owners Marston’s had laid out plans in 2015 to sell the site to care home firm Crown Care, but through a determined campaign by locals and members of the Save Our Claregate group, the pub was saved from demolition.
The locals were able to register the pub as an asset of community value and, since then, the pub has become a popular venue for people in the area, as well as passing trade on the busy route.
The festival provided an ideal opportunity for those who fought to save the pub to have a weekend of fun, with the Claregate putting on a full weekend of activities and events to help people celebrate.
There was a fairground set up on the car park of the site, a stage with entertainment throughout the weekend, a full barbeque, a range of music and entertainment on the main stage, including tribute acts for George Michael, Abba, Oasis and Robbie Williams and a beer festival organised by Wolverhampton CAMRA.
Assistant manager Dave Kelly had been at the pub at the time of the campaign to save the pub and said it had been a brilliant weekend.
He said: “It was absolutely brilliant, with a great turnout and everyone in high spirits, and was definitely 10 years in the making.
“Everyone came together to have a great time, with the entertainment being really good and really popular and the beer festival going really well, with eight of the 12 beers fully selling out.
“Wolverhampton CAMRA were a big part of the weekend as they were there every day and helped so much and, in general, it was just a massive community gathering, with everyone really enjoying themselves.”
A spokesman for Wolverhampton CAMRA said: “We would like to thank The Claregate Pub for putting on the excellent three day Gatefest music and beer festival, over the weekend, to mark the 10th anniversary since the pub was saved from demolition.
“It was fabulous to see the efforts of the manager and all of the staff result in such a well attended festival with a great selection of ales available and entertainment for all to enjoy.
“Unlike the typical ‘use it or lose it’ cliche, The Claregate was a profit making pub when it came under threat of demolition, back in 2015.
“Evidence that even well used pubs can be in danger if the owners are given an offer they cannot refuse for the pub and land. Wolverhampton CAMRA assisted and advised the local campaigners in their efforts to save the pub and also gained some long term and active members as a result.
“The success of saving the Claregate and seeing it thrive is confirmation that pubs are worth saving when they come under threat and as a branch, we always assist as best we can in local campaigns when pubs are faced with closure.”