The Woodman

The Woodman is a historic public house in the Digbeth area of Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It occupies a prominent corner site at New Canal Street and the former line of Albert Street, which is now incorporated into Eastside City Park. The pub stands beside the listed former Curzon Street railway station and within an area substantially reshaped by major urban regeneration and the development of the HS2 rail scheme. The building was constructed in 1896–1897 as an Ansells Brewery public house. Its design is associated with James & Lister Lea, architects responsible for a number of Birmingham's distinctive corner pubs. The building uses red brick, terracotta detailing and a slate roof. Its elevations include narrow windows above the entrance and wider windows divided by brick mullions, giving the pub a strong period character despite its relatively compact form. The Woodman's historical importance also lies in its interior. The pub retains extensive decorative tiling, large gilded and engraved mirrors, and a former Smoke Room with original Mintons tiling and seating. Although the room's original smoking-related function is no longer permitted under modern law, it remains an identifiable part of the building's heritage and visitor appeal. The pub was Grade II listed on 17 January 1985. The venue's recent history has been shaped by changes to its surroundings. New ownership arrived in 2010, followed by diversions during the 2011–2012 construction of Eastside City Park. The park opened around March 2013, and The Woodman underwent refurbishment during that summer. The pub later faced prolonged disruption connected with the COVID-19 pandemic and HS2-related works. It closed for a full refurbishment in spring 2022 and announced a further closure in August of that year while works proceeded around the site. The Woodman reopened on 13 September 2024 following a reported £300,000 refurbishment and its takeover by Union Inns. The reopening restored the pub to active operation while preserving its listed architectural and interior features. Its present identity combines traditional Birmingham pub heritage, historic-district tourism and food-and-drink service in a rapidly redeveloping city-centre setting.

The Woodman was built in 1896–1897 as a public house for Ansells Brewery, one of the historic brewing businesses associated with Birmingham. It was designed as a compact corner pub by James & Lister Lea, whose work contributed to the distinctive visual character of many late-Victorian and Edwardian public houses in the city. The building is formed chiefly from red brick and terracotta and is capped by a slate roof. Its external composition includes narrow windows above the entrance and broader windows separated by brick mullions. From its construction, the pub was notable for an ornate interior. Decorative tiling, large mirrors with gilded and engraved elements, and dedicated seating areas formed part of its character. A Smoke Room remains in the building, retaining original Mintons tiling and seating. Its historic function as a smoking room is no longer lawful, but the survival of the space provides an important link to the pub's original social layout. The building received Grade II listed status on 17 January 1985. At that time its address was recorded as 106 Albert Street. The surrounding street pattern subsequently changed considerably. Albert Street was partly transformed into Eastside City Park, altering the pub's setting while placing it within a landscaped urban space near the former Curzon Street railway station. The Woodman had new owners in 2010. During 2011–2012, public access and traffic arrangements were affected by construction of the new park. Eastside City Park opened around March 2013, after which the pub was refurbished in the summer of that year. These works allowed the venue to continue operating while its immediate urban context changed from a traditional street corner to part of a regenerated city-centre district. The pub was later affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and by the continuing redevelopment associated with HS2. Near the end of the third national lockdown in spring 2021, works connected with the rail scheme included repaving part of the park in front of the building. The Woodman closed for a full refurbishment in spring 2022 and announced in August that year that it would remain closed because of the HS2 works. The venue eventually reopened on 13 September 2024 after a reported £300,000 refurbishment and a takeover by Union Inns. The reopening marked the return of an operating pub to the site while maintaining the building's listed exterior and historically significant interior features. Today, The Woodman is defined by the intersection of hospitality, architectural conservation and Birmingham's ongoing city-centre redevelopment.

• 2024

  Reopening under Union Inns

  [1]The Woodmanen.wikipedia.org

  The Woodman reopens on 13 September after a reported £300,000 refurbishment and takeover by Union Inns.

• 2022

  Closure during HS2-related works

  [1]The Woodmanen.wikipedia.org

  The pub closes during a period of refurbishment and surrounding infrastructure works associated with HS2.

• 2013

  Refurbishment after Eastside City Park works

  [1]The Woodmanen.wikipedia.org

  Following the opening of Eastside City Park around March, The Woodman is refurbished during the summer.

• 2010

  New ownership

  [1]The Woodmanen.wikipedia.org

  The pub changes ownership, preceding further changes to its surroundings and refurbishment activity.

• 1985

  Grade II listing

  [1]The Woodmanen.wikipedia.org

  The Woodman is listed at Grade II on 17 January, formally recognizing its architectural and historic interest.

• 1897

  Public house completed

  [1]The Woodmanen.wikipedia.org

  The late-Victorian pub building is completed in red brick, terracotta and slate, with an ornate tiled interior.

• 1896

  Construction begins

  [1]The Woodmanen.wikipedia.org

  Construction of The Woodman begins as an Ansells Brewery public house designed by James & Lister Lea.

A heritage-led Birmingham pub combining traditional architecture and preserved interiors with contemporary pub food and drinks service.

• Beverages

  Pub drinks

  The Woodman's core commercial offer is a traditional pub drinks service. The available reference material identifies the venue as an operating public house but does not provide a verified current drinks list, named beer brands or detailed cellar information.

• Food service

  Pub food

  Food forms part of the venue's pub and hospitality offer. Specific current dishes, menus and culinary positioning are not documented in the supplied references, so no individual products are identified here.

• Heritage feature

  Smoke Room heritage interior

  The former Smoke Room is one of The Woodman's best-known physical features. It retains original Mintons tiling and seating and contributes to the pub's heritage identity, although its original smoking-related use is no longer permitted.

• 2024

  Reopen after refurbishment under Union InnsStrategy

  Background

  The Woodman had been closed for an extended period because of pandemic disruption and HS2-related works affecting the surrounding public realm.

  Action taken

  Union Inns took over the venue and reopened it on 13 September 2024 following a reported £300,000 refurbishment.

  Aftermath

  The pub returned to active operation while retaining its Grade II listed building and historically significant interior features.

  Refurbishment cost. £300,000 (2024 reopening)

  Source

1. 1The Woodmanen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Woodman official websitethewoodmanbirmingham.co.uk