The Church Tavern, a neighbourhood pub in Perry Barr, Birmingham, has reopened its doors after more than four months of closure, unveiling a transformed interior, an upgraded car park, and a new Indian-style tapas menu. The new owners, who describe the venue as 'rescued', say they are committed to restoring the pub to its former glory.
New owners bring fresh vision
Anand Virdi, who visited the Church Tavern as a child, has teamed up with co-owners Gaurav Bavdankar and Kiran Chavda to breathe new life into what they describe as a 'dated' boozer. The pub, located on 25 Church Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2LA, officially reopened on Friday, July 17, 2026.
'We're somewhere people can travel to and enjoy good food with a good atmosphere,' Virdi told BirminghamLive. 'We're not just for the locals, we're a welcoming pub with an Indian menu and traditional classics.' He added: 'Previously, the pub was very dated. It was loved for decades in Perry Barr and we're trying to rescue it and bring it back to its heyday.'
Indian-inspired menu takes centre stage
The revamped food offering focuses on Indian-style tapas, with dishes including paneer pakora, bang bang chicken, and malai tikka. Co-owner Gaurav Bavdankar emphasised the quality of ingredients, stating: 'There will be no canned produce, no frozen vegetables and no ultra-processed produce.' He believes the unique menu fills a gap in the local area: 'In Perry Barr, there isn't a nearby pub which serves Indian food like this, there's so much demand for what we offer. It's Indian food and having a chance to eat a curry without feeling heavy.' Bavdankar is confident that consistent quality will boost the pub's online reputation: 'As long as we keep serving good food, our Google Review score will shoot up quite quickly.'
Community support and upgrades
During the renovation period, the team received strong local interest. 'As we were renovating, we had about six people daily turn up and ask when we were reopening. They couldn't wait for us to reopen,' Virdi recalled. The pub now features a redecoration and a significantly improved car park, addressing what was a major concern for previous customers. To celebrate the reopening, a 10 per cent discount is being offered until the end of July.
Family-friendly addition: Wacky Playhouse
In addition to the pub, the site houses a soft play centre, formerly a Wacky Warehouse. The newly named Wacky Playhouse will offer private bookings only when it opens in the future, providing a family-friendly option alongside the pub. Virdi noted that the team are Brummies themselves and found Perry Barr 'to be a great area in the city with a lot of character. It shows Birmingham in its true essence with diversity and we want to cater to that.'
