About the Giffard Arms

On this site we endeavour to give you a taste of the merchandise we sell, ( if a little bizarre ) so you can be a part of the Giffard Arms family. Our merchandise reflects the atmosphere we have created over the years, and we hope you love our new designs. We have customers worldwide, so we thought it was time to sell our merch online.

In the Beginning

Okay, so The Giffard Arms in its present form was born on March 3rd 2003. As if decreed by providence itself, a ‘To Let’ sign was posted up on the pub and over 20 years on we are still going strong. The Giffard Arms has a long and proud history of being a Rock venue, and over the years it has evolved into an eclectic mix of people from all walks of life from Rockers to Drag Queens and everyone in between!

A relaxed, but slightly weird venue for creatures of the night. It’s a unique Rock pub on 2 floors with live bands and resident DJ’s. The walls are Dragons blood red and we have the very famous “Chair”, coffin tables, a reclaimed Christian pulpit as a DJ booth, and a 16ft flying bat outside.

We sell a range of cocktails too, so come and have a drink with us, relax or let your hair down. We play the best rock, Alternative and 80’s music in the Midlands.

History Lessons

The Giffard Arms is an unusual listed building, sandwiched between quite modern facades in the heart of the City of Wolverhampton. Built in 1922 by J.A. Swann of Birmingham who specialised in Tudor buildings and restoration, whether stone or timber framed. The ‘period house’ is extraordinarily well done. The Giffard family (correctly pronounced should be ‘Jiff’ similar to a once well known bathroom cleaner!), has for generations had local associations with Wolverhampton. The site once contained a town house of the Giffard family. Basil Oliver author of The Renaissance of the English Public House, Faber and Faber, wrote ‘Somebody bothered about this building. They got an architect and craftsmen who knew what they were doing. The façade is a remarkably accurate rendering of Tudor stone buildings – it is almost repro rather than retro. One might wonder what this style is doing in this town but it does seem to fit in and add interest’. There are four carved heraldic shields in the central panels in between the three floors of leaded windows, bearing the arms of Staffordshire and Wolverhampton with a Tudor rose and Portcullis in similar stone panels between the first and second floors. There is also a shield relating to Springfield Brewery who delivered to the pub after it was built. Above the front doors are carved leaves and designs, and if you look closely you might even see the ‘green man’ hiding under what looks like a hat! Even the drainpipes have Tudor roses on them! In the Dark room the windows have various stained glass bearing the Giffard family associations with the site. On both floors the rooms have oak panelling, although the bar areas have been changed around over the years, the pubs main features have remained the same since the time it was built. When you are outside having a cigarette just look up and see all the effort and details that Mr Swann put into the pub when he built it. Even the wooden arm that holds the pub sign has a gargoyle carved into it! Oh and by the way, we are a little haunted!!! We look forward to seeing you x>