Photo Credit: Gary S Crutchley
Tell us a little bit about your The Gunmakers Arms! The Gunmakers Arms is the tap house of Two Towers Brewery and showcases the beer which is produced in the brewery located just across the courtyard from the pub. Established in 2010 the brewery is the oldest in the city and produces fine traditionally brewed real ales. We are proud Brummies and both the pub and brewery both do all we can to highlight this great city. The pub has become a permanent exhibition space for all kinds of artists. We also have a reputation for holding great events following themes such as local heritage, popular science, literature, gaming, comedy, fine arts and music.
How long have you been at this venue? We have had the gunmakers Arms since December 2015. The brewery has been open since 2010 but located in here since 2016.
What do you know about the history of the building? The grade II listed building has been a pub since 1820. It is situated in Birmingham’s historic Gunsmith Quarter and at one time in its history gun parts have been manufactured here.
Have you heard the poem, what did you think? We haven’t and we’re very keen to hear it.
What would you recommend from the bar? We would recommend our fine traditionally brewed real ales. We have ten handpulls showcasing our range of beers alongside guest ales.
What is the best thing about being an indie venue in Birmingham? It’s being able to what you enjoy doing. We are known as a friendly, community pub and this is because we truly enjoy what we do. This comes across in every part of our offering, from the events we host to the beers we produce.
What sets you apart from other venues in the city? We are the tap house of Two Towers Brewery so there is always a range of these ales on offer. Plus we’re ‘a pub that’s a cultural hub’. We are truly supportive of the City’s local artists from across the cultural spectrum, you will see this from browsing the lists of our events.
Why did you decide to be a host venue for Overhear and Overheard Walking Tours? It’s a great opportunity to support the poetry that’s on offer in the city and we have worked with Verve Poetry Festival for a few years producing ‘Verve Ale’ for the event.
Have you ever worked with any similar projects to Overhear? We have worked with the Verve Poetry Festival, Birmingham Poetry Festival and several walking tour operators.
Why do you think art projects are important for Birmingham? Art is good for the soul and we think that’s important!
What do you love most about being based in Birmingham? We often hear this question and the answer is always the same, it’s the people. We love the Brummies.
What are you looking forward to most about the Overheard Walking Tours?
The poetry and the people. Hearing spoken word by the authors, either live or recorded is great as the passion is obvious. It’s always nice meeting new people and we’re sure that some of the attendees of the tour would not have visited us before.