I visit a Bridgnorth pub with a dedicated local following and a cracking Sunday roast

In Bridgnorth, there are more than 20 pubs across the High Town and Low Town which are all competing for the same day and night trade from people living in the town or visiting for the day.

However, take a step outside the historic town centre and venture further into the estates on the outskirts and you’ll find a pub which has become popular with locals and visitors alike due to a warm welcome, good beer and excellent food.

The Woodberry Inn sits in the north of the town on Victoria Road and was built in the 1920’s as a gentleman’s residence for Mr Southwell, the owner of the former Bridgnorth carpet factory on the River Severn.

Following his death, the house became a pub after being acquired by Ansells Brewery of Birmingham and, today, owned by Valiant Brewery.

It underwent a complete refurbishment throughout the pub in 2015, with a bar and large dining area added, but still keeps the past look through old quarry tiles in the bar.

It is currently managed by landlord Chris Neale, who said he took over the running of the pub nine months ago after 10 years of running the Port House in Stourport because the pub was a good fit for him as a local.

He said: “At the Port House, I was in sort of a tourist-focussed, high volume pub, so the idea of running a community-based pub was one which appealed to me quite a lot.

“It’s had the really big refurbishment to it, also has a nine-bedroom hotel above it and it’s in a really good community, with a lot of chimney pots around it, so it just really suited me.

“I think it’s a great location and it’s got everything it needs to be a really great pub.”

Mr Neale said the pub had built up a tradition for being a good place to see live music, with bands and singers playing every Saturday afternoon throughout the summer, as well as music in the beer garden.

He said working in Bridgnorth was also a lot less hectic compared to Stourport due to the community element and said it was the opposite of a locals pub in terms of feeling uninviting.

He said: “We have a lot more community regulars who come in at least five or six times a week, compared to once or twice a year, so you get to know the people more and get a feeling for it more.

“With the hotel aspect, we also get some tourists and I think it’s made it a pub which is a local’s pub, but has the opposite feeling to a stereotypical on as it’s got a nice mix of people.”

There are three real ale hand pulls at the pub, with local favourites from Wye Valley, Hobsons, Ludlow and Enville Brewery always on in rotation and Mr Neale said they were great products with great reputations.

The Woodberry Inn also caters for lager and cider drinkers with drinks like Carlsberg and higher end drinks on offer, and also boasted a strong spirit selection for gin, whisky and other drinkers.

To the left of the entrance, there are two comfortable dining areas, with locally sourced products are used to produce a light lunchtime menu, an a la carte evening menu along with a specials board, with Mr Neale saying it was about a casual dining experience, rather than just special occasions.

He also said the pub did a great Sunday roast, saying: “The roast is special and is as good as it is because of our head chef, who has worked in the area for the last 30 years at various successful pubs and just happened to be looking for work, so I got hold of him and he’s been a success since.”

Mr Neale said the Woodberry Inn was his life, saying: “It’s not just a job, it’s a way of life and I think that with any hospitality job, you need to throw yourself into it and live it.

“I think it’s become part of my lifestyle and I think that’s the key to being a good landlord.”