Great British Pubs… The Opera House (Tunbridge Wells)

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen
Photos courtesy of Gill Evans

The Opera House in Tunbridge Wells is one of the most beautiful pubs you will ever see in your life. The name says it all: a former opera house with chandelier, beautiful ceiling, dress circle, stalls and everything that goes with it. Guiness is the most popular drink and you can use it to wash down the hand battered fish and chips. Sharon Osbourne filmed a documentary here and suffragettes were hiding in the building to disrupt a meeting of politicians in 1913. So if you are in Tunbridge Wells, you must visit The Opera House!

KB: Since when does the pub building exist and when did it become a Wetherspoon pub?

The opera house was built in 1902 then sold to Union Cinemas in 1931. In the 1960 it became a bingo hall and then in 1996 it became a JD Wetherspoon pub.

KB: What is a fun fact about the pub not many people know?

In WW2 it was bombed causing it to set on fire, a bomb actually got lodged in the proscenium arch not exploding but setting it on fire causing extensive damage. It then reopened after major renovation in 1949.

KB: What drink is a favorite and people must try?

Guiness is one of our most popular draught products, also popular is our range of gins and the younger crowd love our AU vodka range.

KB: What dish on the menu is a favorite and people must try?

Our most popular lunchtime dish is our traditional hand battered fish and chips, then later is our range of pizzas and chicken baskets.

KB: Which famous people have visited the pub over the years?

Sharon Osbourne did a documentary and filmed inside the opera house. Historically Emily Wilding Davison hid in the building with Olive Walton(Suffragettes, movement for women) to disrupt a meeting of politicians in 1913, which we lately had a plaque installed about this.

KB: I step inside your pub. What do I see? Walk me through it.

As you step inside the pub, you see history like stepping back in time. Walking in the lobby you see the historic signs pointing to the “dress circle” , “the stalls” above a wide old style stair case leading to the first floor, where people would go watch the opera from above.

When you approach the bar, you see the opera house open up. You got the high decorated ceiling with a grand chandelier lighting it up with gold and brass gleaming everywhere. You can see the stage where the performances would be held. On the left and right there are booths over hanging the floor where high profile clientele would sit and watch the opera. Everywhere you see the history of the building brilliantly preserved.

KB: Why should people visit your pub?

To see probably one of the most beautifully historic JD Wetherspoon pubs.

For more information, check out The Opera House’s website: HERE

Click Here to Order Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime By “Bad” Brad Berkwitt