Brummie pub celebrates one year anniversary

Historic Birmingham community pub and venue 'Anchor, Digbeth' is marking one year on from being saved from closure with a special week of events.

The iconic Birmingham Irish Quarter terracotta building whose licence dates back to 1797, will celebrate 12 months since reopening on Saturday 31 October 2025.

The team behind the much-loved city boozer will also host a seven-day programme between Monday 27 October and Sunday 1 November, working with notable figures and independent city brands.

The Anchor Digbeth is collaborating with Midlands craft beer producers Attic Brew Co and Church End, popular Birmingham social historian Professor Carl Chinn MBE, traditional Irish session musicians via Comhaltas, Balti restaurant Shabab’s, and independent city distillery Spirit of Birmingham on a series of events and offers around its celebrations.

Peter Connolly, landlord of Anchor, Digbeth, said: “In an era of experience-led bars and augmented reality, sometimes all you need is just a really good pub; and that’s what The Anchor is about. No gimmicks, no messing about, just a really good pub featuring pints, cobs and the craic. 

“A year later and there’s still work being done, but if you have a passion for hospitality and keeping the place looking the best for our regulars and visitors, that’s always going to be the case.” 

Mr Connolly continued, saying “We updated the beer garden over the summer and invested in some gorgeous olive trees and comfortable furniture outside.

“We’ve also upholstered what we call “The Galway Room” - our traditional snug - making it the perfect location for private parties and meetings, especially over the winter months, and we’ve got a few other bits and pieces up our sleeves for 2027.”

The week of events start on Monday 27 October with a specially-commissioned new illustrated talk delivered from behind the bar by respected Birmingham social historian Professor Carl Chinn MBE, entitled ‘Round About The Bullring’ which will explore the history of the Bull Ring, Digbeth and Deritend, as well as the origins of the Anchor itself.

On Tuesday 28 October, Anchor Digbeth will host a guided wine tasting and cheese board evening, showcasing four choices from their revamped wine menu—including Taittinger Nocturne, a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and a Reserva Rioja. Paired with four carefully selected cheeses, alongside what might be Digbeth’s first vegan cheese board.

Spirit of Birmingham, the city’s first and only whiskey distillery, will headline an Irish Whiskey tasting session on Wednesday 29 October, exploring the history of ‘uisce beatha’ with tasting of 4 whiskies from Ireland, as well as Birmingham’s first own single malt.

The reputation of Anchor Digbeth as a renowned traditional Irish music venue will see the launch of a weekly live session from some of Birmingham’s most talented pipe, fiddle, bodhrán, and box players in conjunction with Irish cultural organisation Comhaltas, launching on Thursday 29 October. The inaugural session will feature Vince Jordan, former president of Comhaltas, alongside Patsy Maloney.

On Friday 30 October, the pub will host the Anchor Pen and Paper Quiz (no phones!), giving locals and regulars a chance to test their trivia knowledge in a classic pub quiz atmosphere in the back room, led by The Anchor’s own Peter Connolly and Paul Beirne.

Notable Irish singer-songwriter Peter Coughlan, who helped mark the reopening of Anchor Digbeth in 2025 playing live, will return to the Rea and Bradford Streets corner venue on Friday for acoustic tunes throughout the evening before a special lively anniversary performance on Saturday 31 October (8pm, free admission), joined by Birmingham musicians. Guests throughout Saturday can also enjoy fresh, freshly baked pizzas served straight from the kitchen.

On Sunday 1 November, Attic Brew Co and Church End Brewery will host a Cask & Local Beer Talk and tasting session in the cosy surroundings of the historic pub. Featuring award-winning brews from Church End - such as What The Fox, Fallen Angel, and Gravediggers - alongside Attic’s Lighter, Ingot, Clasp, and a special edition Anchor x Attic collaboration, the afternoon will explore the heritage and craftsmanship of regional brewing.

An informal Sunday music session from Peter Coughland will take place following the tastings, with the ‘Anchor Trade Night’ reborn later on in the evening. Designed specially for hospitality workers from across the city, the event will give Birmingham’s night-time economy workforce a regular place to unwind with DJ sets, £1 mystery shots, beer pong and now hand stretched pizza cooked at 500 degrees and served by the slice, from the smallest kitchen in Digbeth.

Throughout the week of celebrations, a special ‘cheese and onion bhaji’ crusty cob, created in collaboration with popular city Balti restaurant Shabab’s, will be on sale at Anchor Digbeth - marking the first time the two iconic Birmingham brands have joined forces.

In addition, as part of the Halloween and Samhain festivities, the pub will host a week-long Pumpkin Competition where guests can enter a carved pumpkin for £5 and cast their vote with every pint purchased, culminating in a £100 bar tab prize awarded on Sunday 1 November.

According to latest figures from industry bodies including the British Beer and Pub Association and Night Time Industries Association, the UK is losing between 5 and 7 pubs and up to 13 NTE businesses weekly. 

Despite challenging national trading conditions, including a current cost of living crisis and energy bill increases, and localised issues such as major public transport infrastructure construction, since reopening Anchor Digbeth has seen support from regulars and visitors, including around the St Patrick’s celebrations in Digbeth, as well as home and away fans attending matches at Birmingham City FC.

In recent years, the pub has become a popular venue for craft and real ale fans, and many artists from the city’s cultural and creative communities.

The team behind Anchor Digbeth plan to reveal new plans around the building’s ongoing restoration and development in the coming months.

Anchor Digbeth celebrates one year on from reopening between Monday 27 October and Sunday 1 November. Tickets for all events are available via anchordigbeth.com.