Worcester's oldest pub reveals new plan for beer garden

The Cardinal’s Hat in Friar Street is Grade II listed and dates back to around 1497.

A temporary canopy was put up in its garden during the Covid pandemic, allowing it to keep trading, and was later given temporary retrospective planning permission, which expires this month.

The Cardinal's Hat in Friar Street, which claims to be the city's oldest pub (Image: Google)

The pub’s owners say they have considered a number of options for outdoor coverings including awnings, stretched tents and pergolas, but have settled on a gazebo as their preferred option.

“Through pre-application dialogue with Worcester City Council planning and conservation officers it was agreed that this was the preferred option,” Architects Dyer said in a planning statement.

“This solution creates a lightweight and easily demountable shelter over the beer garden which will have minimal impact on the existing building fabric and will require simple foundation fixings.

“The stretched fabric roof covering can be supplied in a range of colour options to suit the pub branding, or can be kept light in colour to maximise daylight under the shelter.

“The existing brick wall is extended in height to measure 1340mm, which will help to reduce noise emissions but will allow the requisite open area to the sides of the enclosure for smoke ventilation.

“The pair of seating booths which were consented as part of the temporary application are retained as part of this proposal.”

Last year we took a look around the pub and met its new manager.

According to the plans the beer garden opening times are the same as the pub - Monday 4pm-11pm, Tuesday-Thursday 12pm-11pm, Friday-Saturday 12pm-11.30pm and Sunday 12pm-10pm.

Over the years the Cardinal’s Hat has been known by other names - like in c1760 when the current building was constructed and it was called the Swan and Falcon.

It was also called the Coventry Arms for more than a century before reverting back to its original name in the 1950s.