The Starting Gate Micro Pub

Quick info

134 Birches Barn Rd, Wolverhampton WV3 7BG, United Kingdom

£1–10

About The Starting Gate Micro Pub

On Birches Barn Rd in Wolverhampton, The Starting Gate Micro Pub is a pub serving cask real ales from breweries across the UK, with real cider alongside. The ales change regularly, and a dark beer, stout or porter is usually among them. Lager is limited to about two choices, and there is a selection of spirits. The pub has no TV, fruit machines or pool table, and it holds a reggae night. Drinking space is split across a front bar room, a larger rear room and a further room up a spiral staircase. Food is not cooked on site, but fresh cobs are sold, and the chip shop two doors away means customers can bring their own meal and eat it inside. Well-behaved dogs are welcome on a lead, and the pub keeps an over 18s policy.

Good to know

Parking
Free street parking · Parking
Accessibility
Wheelchair: entrance, restroom

Reviews

4.8/5

105 reviews

What reviewers say

Reviewers most often mention changing real ales, fresh cobs, dark stout and porter and back beer garden.

5★

4★

3★

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1★

What reviewers say

Reviewers most often mention changing real ales, fresh cobs, dark stout and porter and back beer garden.

Customer Review Summary

Reviewers return to The Starting Gate mainly for its real ales, singling out a Castle Rock stout that one drinker enjoyed enough to order a second pint, a strong Uley beer, and a rotating line-up that usually includes a dark beer, stout or porter. Close behind is the welcome, with several describing friendly staff, a community feel and a relaxed atmosphere. The cider also draws praise, and the back garden gets a mention, with one reviewer looking forward to the new garden layout. Fresh cobs are called lovely and cheap, and others note the ales are reasonably priced against nearby pubs. The main caveat is range: one reviewer says there are only about two lagers, and another notes it does not do full food beyond cobs and the occasional pasty or pork pie. Some mention a reggae night and quirky decor, including a Halloween makeover of the pub. One reviewer who arrived late after a message to the pub found a quick reply about the dark ale on offer and no trouble parking in the road outside.

Customer Review Summary

Featured reviews

Dana Ruaro
5 months ago
“Fantastic little micro pub with a really welcoming atmosphere 🍻 The Starting Gate is one of those places that instantly makes you feel comfortable the second you walk in. It has a proper community feel, friendly people, great conversation, and owners who genuinely care about the customers and creating a great atmosphere. Excellent selection of beers and ales, brilliant service, and such a relaxed vibe whether you’re stopping in for one drink or spending the whole evening there. The back garden is an absolute hidden gem too — such a lovely space to sit, relax, and enjoy a drink, especially when the weather is nice. It’s great seeing an independent pub like this doing so well because places with this much character and warmth are hard to find nowadays. Highly recommend if you’re in Wolverhampton.”
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John Banner
6 months ago
“By far the best pub in the area. Real ales good atmosphere. Great staff what more do you want. Looking forward to the new garden layout”
Graham Hartle
7 months ago
“Decent micro with a good selection of cask ales”
Calvert Lawson
7 months ago
“Lovely pub amazing service and very good biers. Nice reggae night too..”
Stew's Vlog “Yoga-Mind”
11 months ago
“Lovely vibe and good selection of well kept, reasonably priced ales, plus, cheapest fresh cobs I've seen (£1.80 each!). Well worth a visit! The picture below is from a makeover of the pub they did for their Halloween Party in 2025!”

Colin Whitehead
1 year ago
“My disabled wife , her bridge partner and I visited The Starting Gate late after playing Bridge on Thursday 23rd October 2025 . I had noticed that the Starting Gate did dark real ales on its Real Ale Finder listing . I messaged the Starting Gate and they quickly responded about the latest dark real ale and the space for a late night drink . ( We would be arriving after 10:00,pm ) We have visited the Starting Gate once before on a wet Sunday in 2024. We liked it then but this time we were even more impressed The parking for the Starting Gate is very limited but we had no problem parking in the road in front of the pub due to the late time of arrival . The Starting Gate is quite spacious for a Micro Pub having 3 seperate drinking rooms and a beer garden . The front 'bar' room has a corridor through to a larger rear room with a large unisex and disabled access toilet . There is a further room up a spiral stair case from the corridor between the 2 ground floor spaces and a rear beer garden , The Starting Gate has 5 changing real ales on plus real cider . We had a gorgeous Castle Rock Space Junk Stout .. so good my wife had 2 pints . My wife's bridge partner had a pint of an Uley strong ( 6.2% ) beer and we were amazed by the price .. all real ales are £4.00 a pint . ( The tight fisted Yorkshireman in me was very pleased with that ) The service was very friendly and the Statting Gate was warm and welcoming . It richly deserves its place in the Camra Good Beer Guide . We all would highly recommend a visit to The Starting Gate .”
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Chris Dainty
1 year ago
“Super cool little boozer , so friendly and quirky decor . Me and my partner felt very welcome instantly, can't wait to visit again ... Bravo”
xdarrenz b
1 year ago
“Brilliant place cosy welcoming havent had food yet as such but cobs are lovely and cider to die for friendly staff been a few times now, safe to say it my new local .if you ever go past pop in you won't be dissapointed i promise you .. really nice unexpected unassuming little pub love it .”
Jaspal Grewal
1 year ago
“Very nice and friendly local pub with a variety of ales but only about 2 lagers. The ales are fantastic and always changing.”
Steve Morris
3 years ago
“Wonderful micro pub. Doesn’t do food (though there are cobs and sometimes pasties or pork pies) but the beer is excellent. Four real ales minimum and one is usually a dark beer/stout/porter. Good selection of spirits. Very reasonably priced compared to some other local offerings. Excellent gaffer and staff. A really friendly place and the heart of the local community.”
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Hours

Monday: 2 PM – 10 PM
Tuesday: 2 PM – 11 PM
Wednesday: 2 PM – 11 PM
Thursday: 1 PM – 11 PM
Friday: 12 PM – 11 PM
Saturday: 12 PM – 11 PM
Sunday: 1 PM – 10:30 PM

Highlights

“Old Fashioned Community Micro Pub focused on serving top quality real ales from all over the UK, we support many small local breweries as well as collecting ales from up to 200 miles away. No TV, Fruit Machines, Pool Table etc most of our friendly regulars engage in the long lost art of conversation. We operate an over 18's policy though well behaved dogs of any age are allowed in on a lead. Pub snacks are available including Crisps, Nuts, Scratchings, Cobs, Pork Pies & Scotch Eggs, if you require something more substantial there is an excellent chip shop 2 doors away and we're happy to let you bring your food and enjoy it on our premises. Fantastic friendly staff help give the pub it's laid back easy going vibe at all times.”

Great beer selection

Amenities

Wheelchair accessible entrance
Free street parking
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed
Alcohol
Cozy
Beer
Food
Seating
Restroom

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Beer
Food
Seating
Restroom

Offerings· 2: Hard liquor
Wine
Parking· 1: Parking

Highlights· 1: Great beer selection
Crowd· 1: Groups

Atmosphere· 1: Casual
Accessibility· 1: Wheelchair accessible restroom

Location

Bars near The Starting Gate Micro Pub

The Starting Gate Micro Pub

£1–10Wheelchair accessibleOutdoor seating

4.8105

The Mount Tavern Public house & Restaurant4.3293
0.4 mi£10–20ReservationsWheelchair accessibleOutdoor seating
indian curries, mixed grill, live bands
Gunmakers Arms4.4262
0.5 mi£10–20Wheelchair accessibleWi-Fi
live entertainment saturdays, local and guest ales, pool table and dartboard
Desi Yew Tree4.71,236
0.8 mi£10–20ReservationsGood for kidsWi-Fi
nepalese masala fries, naan, mixed grill sizzler

Place	Rating	Distance	Price	Mentioned in reviews
The Starting Gate Micro PubWheelchair accessible · Outdoor seating	4.8105	—	£1–10	changing real ales, fresh cobs, dark stout and porter
The Mount Tavern Public house & RestaurantReservations · Wheelchair accessible · Outdoor seating	4.3293	0.4 mi	£10–20	indian curries, mixed grill, live bands
Gunmakers ArmsWheelchair accessible · Wi-Fi	4.4262	0.5 mi	£10–20	live entertainment saturdays, local and guest ales, pool table and dartboard
Desi Yew TreeReservations · Good for kids · Wi-Fi	4.71,236	0.8 mi	£10–20	nepalese masala fries, naan, mixed grill sizzler