A much-loved Jewellery Quarter bar that once earned international praise for its gin scene will close after ten years, owner Amanjot Johal has announced. 40 St Pauls, affectionately known by regulars as “40s”, will serve its final drinks on 20 December 2025, bringing to a close a decade of carefully crafted hospitality, community and memorable nights.
Johal, 40, broke the news on social media, explaining that the decision comes from a deeply personal place. In his message to customers and staff he reflected on the bar’s journey, from a converted newsagent to a seasonal cocktail destination, and described the venue as “a sanctuary” where conversation, music and carefully made drinks became moments people remember.
He thanked the team and the bar’s loyal patrons for making 40s what it was, saying the place’s “soul” came from the community that treated the venue like an extension of home. Johal also made clear why the time felt right to step away: the devotion the bar demanded had meant sacrificing other ambitions, and he now wants to make space in his life for a family.
Since opening in 2015, 40 St Pauls built a reputation for meticulous service, thoughtful drinks and a warm, lived-in atmosphere. Johal recounted how an “old newsagent on a quiet corner” grew into something extraordinary, exploring fine gins, earning a moment in the global spotlight when the venue was named among the best in the world for gin, and later evolving into a seasonal cocktail bar that matched the city’s appetite for inventive hospitality.
That trajectory, a blend of craft, consistency and community, is exactly what built the bar’s loyal following across Birmingham and beyond.
Johal invited everyone who has been part of 40s’ story to visit during the bar’s final weeks. The venue will be open Wednesday to Saturday until closing night on 20 December, when staff, friends and customers are encouraged to “raise a glass,” share memories and mark the decade together.
In his message he wrote that while 40 St Pauls has been “the best thing I’ve done in my life so far,” love can be a demanding teacher and right now he must let go of one devotion so he can pursue another.
40 St Pauls’ closure marks the end of an influential chapter in Birmingham’s nightlife. The bar set a benchmark for small-scale, high-quality hospitality in the Jewellery Quarter and proved that independent venues could achieve international recognition without losing local authenticity.
For patrons who treasured the bar’s intimate service, thoughtful cocktails and the gatherings it hosted, the final weeks will be a chance to celebrate what the venue built: a community, a string of perfect evenings and a standard of craft that will inspire others in the city’s thriving food and drink scene.
