The Watergates Bar

The Watergates Bar is a pub and restaurant in Chester, Cheshire, England, operated as part of the Greene King pub estate. It occupies a building whose address — 13 and 15 Watergate Street and 17 and 19 Watergate Row South — is recorded as a Grade II listed building, reflecting its architectural and historic significance within the city's celebrated rows. According to the pub's own description, it is said to be situated in the oldest medieval crypt in England, with the building dating back to the 12th century. The restaurant sits beneath vaulted stone ceilings, and the venue pairs this Gothic ambience with a modern, family-friendly food and drink offer. The pub serves a menu of classic British pub fare — the official description highlights crispy fish and chips — alongside a wooden-clad bar stocked with beers, wines and spirits. It provides a small beer garden and shows live sport via Sky Sports and TNT Sports screens, positioning itself as both a dining destination and a casual local. The venue is dog-friendly, welcoming guests with dogs for a pint. As a Greene King pub, The Watergates Bar benefits from the scale and supply chain of one of the United Kingdom's leading pub retailers and brewers. Greene King describes itself as the country's leading pub retailer and brewer, welcoming customers into around 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels across the UK. The Watergates Bar therefore sits within a large managed and tenanted estate, sharing branding, menus and operational standards with the wider group. The pub has undergone periodic investment, including a temporary closure for refurbishment; its official page noted a reopening date of 1 October following such works. It also promotes seasonal trading, including festive menus and Christmas bookings. Its location on Chester's historic Watergate Street and Row places it within a heritage streetscape that draws tourists and locals alike, and the listed status of the building adds a preservation dimension to any refurbishment or operational change. In summary, The Watergates Bar is a heritage pub brand within the Greene King portfolio, combining a medieval crypt setting, listed-building status, and a contemporary pub-restaurant offer in central Chester.

The Watergates Bar occupies a site of considerable antiquity in Chester. The building at 13 and 15 Watergate Street and 17 and 19 Watergate Row South is a Grade II listed building, a designation that recognises its special architectural or historic interest and places it under statutory protection. The pub's own account states that the building dates back to the 12th century and that the bar is said to be situated in the oldest medieval crypt in England. This places the structure within the medieval fabric of Chester, a city whose Watergate Street and its distinctive 'rows' — elevated walkways with shops and dwellings above street level — are among its best-known historic features. For much of its modern life the site has operated as a licensed pub and restaurant. It now trades as The Watergates Bar under the Greene King umbrella. Greene King is one of the United Kingdom's largest pub retailers and brewers, operating around 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels across the country according to its own corporate description. Being part of that estate gives The Watergates Bar access to group purchasing, branded menus, marketing support and operational standards, while the individual pub retains a distinct identity rooted in its historic building. The pub's recent history includes investment and refurbishment. Its official page carried a notice that it was temporarily closed for an 'exciting refurbishment' and would reopen on 1 October, with opening hours showing closures for 'Investment' on certain days. Such works are typical of managed pub estates, where venues are periodically refreshed to maintain competitiveness. The pub also markets seasonal occasions, including Christmas and the festive season, encouraging advance table bookings. Operationally, The Watergates Bar presents itself as a modern, welcoming venue despite its ancient setting. It offers a food-led pub-restaurant experience with classic dishes, a bar stocked with beers, wines and spirits, a small beer garden, and live sport via Sky Sports and TNT Sports. It is explicitly dog-friendly, a positioning that broadens its appeal to walkers and local residents. The combination of a Gothic, vaulted stone interior with contemporary amenities is central to its identity and its appeal to visitors exploring Chester's heritage quarter. Because the building is listed, any future alterations are likely to be subject to heritage consent and sensitive design, balancing commercial refreshment with preservation of the medieval crypt and other historic fabric. This tension between hospitality use and conservation is a defining theme in the pub's ongoing story.

• Building at the site dates back to the 12th century, according to the pub's own description.

• Building recorded as a Grade II listed building in Chester.

• Temporarily closed for refurbishment, with reopening announced for 1 October.

A heritage, family-friendly Greene King pub and restaurant in central Chester, trading on its medieval crypt setting and listed-building status.

• Crispy fish and chips

  Classic pub dish highlighted on the official page.

• Beers, wines and spirits

  Stocked at the wooden-clad bar.

• Festive/Christmas menu

  Seasonal dining offer promoted for Christmas bookings.

1. 1The Watergates Bar Pub Restaurant in Chestergreeneking.co.uk
2. 2Our Company | Greene Kinggreeneking.co.uk
3. 3Greene King Accessibility Policy | Greene Kinggreeneking.co.uk
4. 413 and 15 Watergate Street and 17 and 19 Watergate Row Southwikidata.org