The former place of worship which has become a community hub for many

Throughout history, alcohol consumption has been intertwined with several aspects of life, encompassing cultural, social and religious practices.

Many places which started out as religious meeting places and places of worship have since become public houses, which many have considered temples in their own right.

One such place is The Chapel House, on Ruiton Street, Gornal, which started out as a meeting place for a Methodist group called the Gornal Lanterns in 1834 and saw alcohol poured as part of the meeting.

This began a journey which saw it become a pub with the name ‘The Miners Arms’ in 1877, but always known locally as The Chapel House and, in fact, officially renamed as that in 2013.

The current landlord, musician James Stevens, said he had used the pub for years, but had never been a local as he lived on the other side of the village, but had always carried a love for the pub and was delighted to be able to take over in 2016.

He said: “I’ve used the pub for years on and off, but it was never a local as I lived the other side of Gornal, but I’ve used the Chapel since I was a teenager and I’m in my 40s now.