BIRMINGHAM.

This is an old fashioned style pub in a now deserted part of the city in the evenings. It is situated in a poorly lit industrial area that shuts down at night. The pub is an old fashioned corner pub, there are three rooms all served from one really long 'L' shaped bar that covers three sides of the pub. The two smaller rooms (cramped and smokey at busy times) have the problem of being mainly out of sight of the main serving area. The staff have to be very vigilant at busy times as in one room you are only visible via a mirror. A little patience and a little waving goes a long way at busy times. One reviewer has waited 20 minutes in the past to get served in the small room at peak times. However, don't let this put you off the pub. It is very much a locals pub (looks a bit like the 'Queen Vic' from Eastenders on the inside), with a friendly atmosphere. These locals are matched for numbers by those seeking a good real ale pub in Birmingham. The pool table is situated in the main room and they have two pool teams. Try not to sit near it though as there is not a lot of space around it. The decor has not changed in ten years, but far from making this a dowdy place, it has enhanced its charm and retro feel - there are no plastic or fake memorabilia here. The Anchor also has regular beer festivals and themed weeks/weekends throughout the year. On this occasion it was the 60+ ales Spring Festival. They also have special selected brewery weekends, Church End on this time; including, Stout Coffin, Father Brown, Old Pal, Pew's Porter, Hooker Ale, Avon Ale, Pooh Beer and Vicar's Ruin, etc.. As for food, this is served at lunch time and evenings and for the summer there is a an outdoor drinking area - though it is concrete floored and surrounded by high buildings. They have also recently added a no smoking area. However, seeing as this part of the bar is just screened off at about 6ft 5inches, smoke from the other areas can still float over. No accommodation is available here, but you are not far from the Hyatt, Copthorne and Holiday Inn, all B&B, but all expensive in their own way. (RA&AB says: we checked this out ourselves and found service to be awful at peak times and beer festivals in the back TV room). If you fancy chips after then try the 'Mr. Egg' on Hurst St. opposite Hippodrome theatre (0121 622 4344), open until 3am Thur, Fri, Sat.

This Grade II* pub has only reopened in February 2003. It used to belong to a pub group but was shut for two years after they couldn't make a go of it. Not exactly situated in the most salubrious part of town, it is a short bus ride out from the city centre (51, 52, 33, 34, get off at Aston Baths). Bought up by Oakham Ales of Peterborough when the managing director fell in love with it, this 19th century built pub has retained many of its splendours and attractions for the drinker and lover of seriously good tile work. There are two bars here, though only one is a serious place to get served. At the moment only the 'public' bar entrance is open with ornate glasswork in the doors. I say 'public' because it has been brought out by Oakham to the original splendour with tiled floors and dark furniture around the island bar in a horse shoe shape. The bar itself is high, so not easy for the disabled to be served here. There is an overhang as well so the visual  space is limited. Hand pumps are dotted along the bar in groups and so you need to walk round the entire bar, including the back bar to find out what is on - I smell a beer festival at some stage with all these hand pumps. The walls here are plainer than the rest of the pub, but still good to look at. To enter the rear of the pub - where the toilets, etc are - you have to go up steps (there is a middle entrance which might allow disabled access, but it was locked on this occasion. You might have to have an able-bodied person with you to ask them to open the doors). Once up the steps the visual delights keep coming. Almost every available surface is covered with the original turn of the century tiles - no corporate vandalism here. Pillars, walls, archways, are all covered with tiles only the Victorians could produce. There is a glorious hunting frieze opposite the underneath of the ornate ironwork staircase - you are not allowed up it, unless for a designated meeting - and the stained glass oval 'window' in the smoke room has an old master in the centre. There are two main rooms here, the smoke room - a long hall like room with tiles, of course, and the stained glass, plus it has a working fireplace in winter. Oblong tables are set round the edge (except for one round table in the centre) which has a long velour bench against the wall and chairs for seating - no stools here. there is also one church pew underneath the stained glass 'window'. The height of the ceiling gives an immense feeling of space and tranquility and you can hardly hear the A34 outside. The other room shares the high ceiling, tile work and the original wooden floorboards. It too has a working fireplace and bench seating with additional chairs. There is a bar area up here - part of the island mentioned earlier - but it was built in a time when people had shorter stature and consists of snob screens at an oblique angle. You have to bend down to peer through at the bar, which can make it difficult to get served, though there is a bell to press for service. As this is an Oakham house it will always have at least four of it's own real ales on (a welcome addition to the Birmingham scene which has always been a Bank's stronghold), plus two guest ales - Dent Weather or Not and Dark Star Hophead in the opening week. All were superbly served, cool but not cold. No sparklers here, but you might find a top up request in order - Brummies like heads normally. Food is served 12-2.30 and 5.30-10pm, though no food at all on Mondays. All the food is Thai, cooked by three, yes, three chefs trained by a Thai cook. The selection is large with vegetarian options of most dishes possible. The variety of styles and sauces is wide and the prices do not break the bank. Lunch ranges through £3.25 - £4.75, salads up to £5.95 and main meals with which you have to buy rice or noodles up to £7.95. No accommodation here. The Bartons is a great pub made great once more by Oakham. It is well worth the effort to get to it from town and you wont be disappointed. I've made it my new local. The accommodation listed is not the closest, but it's the Wetherspoon in town.

This is a very busy pub for food and it is always advisable to book in advance (12-9.30 when open). All food is homemade and the portions are large. Prices for food are around the £4 - £5 mark. The pub is not far from the Metro (Soho Benson Rd stop), about 800 meters and is next to a car workshop in a less than salubrious part of town. However, small scale engineering is part of Birmingham's history and this shouldn't put you off finding out the Black Eagle. Inside the pub has at least four distinct areas and an 'L' shaped bar that cuts through three of them. Upon entering the central doorway you are presented with the bar or the lounge. The bar is traditional, with bare floors and can get smokey.  The first part of the lounge area is small with a number of round tables and chairs and there is a small bar area here with a couple of hand pulls. The bar throughout is of dark wood with an  overhang. Access to the garden is also in this section and it was here that the beer festival was held in June (8 beers). The next section of the lounge is larger with both square and round tables and bay window area which has bench padded seating and round tables. The walls have old pictures and there are some CAMRA awards too. The toilets are here for the whole pub and disabled access is not really possible (also a step into the pub). The last section of the lounge is a long area at the rear of the pub with square tables and a mixture of benches and chairs. The decor here is much 'heavier' than the rest of the pub, mainly due to the dark carpet and 'brass' on the walls - nets too! The garden has some plastic seating and is shaded. The beers usually on are nothing special - Ansells Mild, Pedigree - but they also are more than likely to have a Beowulf beer and Taylors Landlord on. All are well kept, though ask them for the sparkler to be removed and you get some funny looks. The atmosphere here is friendly and the landlord can always be picked out by his waistcoat and trousers, that and he's quite tall. No accommodation here, try in the centre.

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CAMRA pub of the year in 2003, it is a traditional boozer with a bar divided into two, though only one serving area. The decor is very traditional too with lots of old pictures on the walls. If you are very lucky they will open up the other bar which has lots of film tsar memorabilia in it, but it is not open by default normally. What we do know is that this is the home of the famous 'Honey Monster Grill', something like 6 - 10lbs of mixed grill, oh, with a few chips. Eat it if you dare. Food is served 12-2pm and 6-9pm everyday but Sunday. The Church Inn is not open on Sundays. Your nearest tram stop is St Paul's.

The Old Crown Inn is Birmingham's oldest pub, with a pub being sited here since the 1368. After being boarded up for several years, the Old Crown has re-opened after major refurbishment and structural repairs. Quite a decent job has been made of the improvements, although the canned muzak seems out of place. It was a keg-only pub when it closed, but now Banks's (Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries) mild and bitter are sold by handpump. Pubs in the Digbeth are tend to be small locals, untouched by the excesses of the big brewery chains, and beer prices tend to be on the low side. Not so the Old Crown. Bitter costs £2 per pint (review date 30/07/98) which soon sends first time visitors scurrying off for cheaper beer. It's good to see the Old Crown open once again, despite the steep price, and it even advertises accommodation from about £40 upwards per night. (Phil Glover)

A typical Firkin (in that they all look the same) with lots of junk stapled to the walls including a huge abacus and a very old computer circa 1980! The high ceiling lends itself very well to the use of tat. However, the pub has an airy feeling which is good as it hosts gigs on a small stage at the rear - near the toilets. Talking of which, the gents is upstairs (though there is a disabled one downstairs and access to the pub is good also. Named after the fact it previously was a Halifax building society the beers are from a local Firkin brewery, though for how much longer we don't know. There's the Factotum 4.3%, Jack 3.5%, Flexi Ale 5%, Hum Bug 3.9%, Dogbolter 5.6%. All served reasonably well, though asking for a top up was received with a blank stare, as was the request to remove the sparkler. The seating is hard pews and wooden kitchen tables on a wooden floor with some table top barrels and stools. If you get bored there is Jenga and table top football to play on nights without gigs. There is also an upstairs balcony area not used on most nights. There was no food on in the evenings, so we cant comment on that. There is no car park and no outside drinking area. No accommodation here.

A new Firkin opened in the heart of Brum, though it could be anywhere these days, they all look the same. They profess to have five real ales on at any one time including guest ales. The interior is boards and wood, wood and boards, not much else to say really.

Very much a music pub run by a couple of Birmingham Symphony  Orchestra members, the Fiddle has live bands every night of the week and some lunchtimes, from all arenas such as Jazz, Folk and classical. Don't come here and expect the next big indie hit to be on. You wont see Novocaine or Brum's own Moseley boys, Delta here. The blurb in the press says its a "musically-themed" waterside restaurant. Indeed it is on the Birmingham canal side, near the junction with St Vincent Street. Its actually not far from the National Indoor Arena. The beer is real ale - though mainly from the major's there is an Adnams ale on. The food's good, from baguettes to full á la carte. No accommodation here though. There have been problems from the posh residents facing the pubs rear about the music noise, so it might be hard to get a renewal of license, we wait and see.

Another Firkin which has been in the heart of Brum for a while. Situated just behind the NIA/ICC down by the canal. This is a music pub with a bar downstairs just for it. They have bands of all sorts on most nights, though this tends to be a students pub as it's not far from the UCE halls of residence. They have the usual renamed Firkin beers from another brewpub. They also have a single guest ale on from the larger micros. The interior is boards and wood, on different levels, if you are disabled it is not easy to get to the bar as it is on an upper level. The bar is big with barrels to sit at, though there are chairs and tables in nooks and crannies. The music bar downstairs has visible brick walls and a reasonable stage to play on. The ale prices are not the cheapest, but this is the city centre. No accommodation but try: the Hyatt opposite the ICC, but that is pricey, there is also the Travelodge not far away for £49.95. Try them on 0800 850 950.

Suffering slightly from its location on the edge of the city centre, the relaxed atmosphere of  The Gunmakers Arms sometimes borders on the comatose. Nevertheless, its small bar and lounge can be crammed at lunchtimes, with locals making the most of its good-value food and convivial seclusion. As you might expect from its name, the walls are covered with gun paraphernalia - the pub’s particularly fine collections of shotgun cartridges and rifles make for a handy digression. It also boasts a secluded beer garden, with views of nearby landmarks such as the BT tower. Where is it; where else but on the margins of Birmingham’s historic Gun Quarter, just beyond the Thistle Hotel. What to drink? Reasonably priced tipples include Bass (£1.95), Banks’s Mild (£1.60) and Brew XI (£1.80). The sole lager on our visit was Carling at £2 - although there is a tap for Stella when available. To eat? From a menu full of bargains, try beef or vegetable lasagne (£3.25), a tasty double egg and fries (£2.50) or the Gunners Lunch: cheese, ham, pickled onion and salad with crusty bread (£2.95). A quarter-pound burger is a mere £1.55, and for 10p you can upgrade to a cheeseburger.

They sell real ale but they are not particularly known for it, there is nothing that stands out about the place, except that it is in Moseley where rich yuppie types, old men and students seem to congregate, however, it is very popular and this may be because of the live music nights that they offer, which are on no real set nights. Oasis played here as well as others before they become rich and famous. Open: 4-11pm daily.

When I made my first visit to this pub it was a Sunday evening at 7pm. The place looked shut and I was about to go home when a voice from behind me said, "knock three times". I did and the door was opened?! Apparently they open when they like round here. There is another pub on the corner of Moseley Street, but it looked like a bottle bar to me. The Lamp has a reasonable range of beers on and a guest at weekends. This time it was Church End, Vicars Ruin, but it also does Bateman Mild, Stanway Stanney Bitter (served with a sparkler and tasting fouler than foul air!) as regulars. If you're lucky you can get Wadworth's 6X as well. Inside you walk off the street into what feels like someone's front room they've turned into a pub. The bar goes all the way down the left hand wall and reminds you of a club - a council run club? I say this as it smells of wet dog! If you know what I mean. The button back bench seats are comfortable and the atmosphere is pleasant, though the carpet and the dog smell go together. On the walls are pictures of old Birmingham and its a case of spot the demolished part. This place was voted best pub of the year by Birmingham CAMRA in 1994/5 and its not until you go back to the second bar/room round by the toilets that you realise why. This is a sumptuous room , all velvet and flock wallpaper - very heavy. The Lamp does food but only at lunch times so I was unable to sample it, but the fayre was usual 'pub grub'. There's no accommodation here but its not far from New St. or Moor St. stations. Head for the Wholesale Market and Barford Street is just behind it. Apart from the dog smell and the sparkler on Stanway bitter which made it taste horrible, the Lamp is OK for a few drinks.

The place where Bill Clinton waved from the balcony. Set on the corner of two canals near the NIA and the ICC. To get to it you walk down the canal side opposite the Sea Life Centre. When we went there was only Marston's Pedigree and no food choice other than what was on the board (5 choices), at least one was a vegetarian choice. The pub has plenty of space and is decked out in the usual chintz from a pub group with no taste and no idea of the many types of people who visit pubs. We didn't stop, but I can't see why you wouldn't want to stay. On a good day there is plenty of food choice at a slightly higher price than real pubs. Try The Prince of Wales up the road. No accommodation here.

This city centre pub is an undiscovered real ale emporium, despite it being recently turned into an amusement arcade concept pub (Sport's Bar to the ad people). The bar is all one floor and is huge with a capital 'H'. A place where suit types go after work to let off steam it still has a young atmosphere and soon mixes with the evening crowd. The city centre has few places to find real ale, but this is one of them. It has at least two real ales on at any one time (prices very high of late). It also serves Ruddles - but for how long - as the Newt is Morland owned. The piped muzak can get on your nerves and from Thursdays onwards there's a DJ, but there is always plenty of space to sit down or stand out of the way. The door policy is sometimes odd, like no hats? Can get very busy on a Saturday.

A city centre pub that attracts the lunchtime crowd from the offices around it. However, during the weekday evenings this two bar pub has one room closed off which cuts down the space. At time of visit (9pm - Wednesday), there were 6 people in! Ordinarily it serves Bass, M&B Brew IX, but it also serves guest ales, though not the 5 I was lead to believe. Only Hook Norton and a Highgate beer were on at the time. The building was put up in the 1800's as a hotel - being not far from the Snow Hill station. However, it never opened. It has a high ceiling which is Victorian ornate and the bar open at the time was split level and is difficult for the disabled to negotiate. Seating is traditional metal tables and bench seating. Food is served both lunchtimes and evenings and is traditional fayre. No accommodation is available.

This pub used to be popular with the theatre across the road, but has since become part of the Arcadian beer circuit that includes a plastic paddy and the Green Room plus 52 degrees North. Inside it still retains its Victorian air with high ceilings and frescos. However, the walls have been covered with paper and pictures/posters of performers at the theatre. On one wall you can see how the Victorians liked their pornography. There are two bars, though one central bar. The saloon is bare floored (recently sanded) with stool seating at high tables by the windows and a secluded booth towards the rear near the TV - though there is a roof support right where it's most inconvenient. The bar has an overmantle for glasses and the like. The lounge bar has a raised seating area, though there is seating at ground level too. Benches and chairs predominate here. There is also a glitterball with some history, or so the poster says. TV's here too and when there is sport on, you cant escape. However, it's not your typical sports pub. Famed for having a Christmas meal and celebrations in the middle of August?! There are usually some shoddy major's beers on, but also a couple of guests, though go near end of week to try them B&T Dragonslayer and Weltons Bloody Bosworth Battle were on this time. The atmosphere is friendly, though you need to remind staff to fill your pint up to the top. Food is served at lunch and eves plus Sunday roast. It is wholesome but unadventurous and keenly priced. Beer garden in summer is pavement seating. Access for the disabled is good with disabled toilet too. Handy for the Chinese quarter and the Virgin cinema plus the Glee Club for comedy. Worth a visit as it's only a short walk from the BR station.

This is an outpost for Fuller's ales, the only pub in the West Midlands selling the Chiswick nectar. The building was once a bank, hence the name. The exterior, with its restored stonework and impressive windows does not give the impression of a typical pub. The same can be said of its spectacular interior. Tastefully decorated with paintings and busts, there is a high ceiling with candelabras and a central dome. Comfortable seating and rooms for private functions, plus side stools for the casual drinker. The bar is situated in the centre, with a magnificent carved wooden centrepiece. An upstairs seating area is matched by toilets and plenty of stairs. The pub attracts a varied clientele; shop and office workers, businessmen and shoppers. All are made welcome by the friendly, uniformed staff. The choice of food is good for meat eaters, but less so for vegetarians. Also the portions are small for the high prices they charge. However, the beer is what we were after and we weren't to be disappointed.  The full range of Fullers beers are nearly always available, including their seasonal specials, plus a guest beer always from Beowulf of Yardley down the road. Fuller's beers on were Chiswick Bitter, at 3.5%, a hoppy, refreshing session beer. London Pride, at 4.1%, a very popular malty beer. ESB, at 5.5%, an excellent strong and aromatic beer, Honey Dew (4.3%), Summer Ale (3.9%). Prices are not cheap, but are consistent with the area. No access for the disabled. (Steven Rogers)

This pub now stands in what was a bit of run down part of the city, but is now surrounded by the smart redevelopment of Broad Street. There is the new ICC and National Indoor Arena and even the repertory theatre has been given a face lift. It can be a hidden gem in winter when most young people prefer Broad Street, but can get busy in summer when the canal users get to it. However, now that the two bars have been knocked into one there is more space (though can get a little smoky at times). Up to eight beers are served here, though only three or so are changing. All are well kept and served. Food is served here both lunch and evening and is wholesome and traditional rather than fancy. Have eaten here a number of times and happy every time. Access for the disabled is possible, though I would check first. No accommodation here though plenty of hotels locally including the Travelodge and City Hotel. The Prince also has live music occasionally.

Very much a J. D. Wetherspoon pub, this used to be part of a department store. Now it occupies a long thin strip of it on Corporation Street. The pub is at the top end of town near the courts. It's a long thin pub with a no-smoking end. Set on two levels the bar is on street level in Bull Street, but on a lower level is some of the more intimate seating. Tall ceilings and space are the most obvious things you notice, plus the smoke at the Bull St end. There can be problems with getting served as the bar is 50 feet long and they are usually understaffed (it took me 10-15 minutes to get served last time). The ales are the usual selection plus lots of guest ales (though usually only one here). On at the time was Exmoor Stag. Wetherspoons have frequent beer festivals and the prices are cheap!! Food is the standard menu, wholesome and slightly adventurous - Nachos, chicken and something for vegetarians. Prices are favourable too. Wheelchair access from Bull St. No accommodation.

Part of the Pubmaster group, the Tap and Spile pubs were a response to the Tut and Shive of Whitbread. Nevertheless, Pubmaster have found some very attractive buildings to house theirs in. the one in Gas St. is remarkable as it used to be part of narrow boat history and a grainstore. This is a split level pub with the larger drinking area downstairs which, because of its situation, is easily accessible by the disabled (though they have to walk a way to get a ramp down onto the now tarmac covered canal side walk). Outside the downstairs, is the Gas St basin canal mooring area, which is great in summer, but lousy in winter when its cold. Again the downstairs has different level flooring with steps and the toilets are at the far end up and down stairs for the disabled. The decor is tasteful wood as is the flooring and there is no loud music to distract. The walls are painted magnolia, so not very adventurous there. The upstairs is wood again with bench seating and a fireplace (not used). The Tap serves a wide range of changing guest beers, ever changing. On at the time were: Ruddles County; Elgoods Black Dog Mild; Woods Summer That; Batemans Flower Power; Everards Beacon; Fuggles; Boddingtons; and Cottage Golden Arrow. As Tap and Spiles are drinking establishments there is no accommodation and what there is in this area of town is pricey as the International Convention Centre is just down the road, as is the National Indoor Arena (2 mins walk if you crawl!). All in all a good addition to the pub and recreation development in what used to be a blighted area of Birmingham, but has now become THE 'nightspot' area of a weekend with more bars, pubs, eating places and nightclubs than you can shake a stick at.

This is Birmingham's latest real ale pub and is a sure-fire winner. It has served 300 guest ales in three months and had its first beer festival in March 2005. Run by the ever popular Nigel Barker who ran excellent pubs like the Bartons Arms and The Stag in Bloxwich.  It used to be a cafe bar, but has returned to its former glory as a pub. Recently refurbished it now has a single bar which is through two doors. You enter into a world of dark wood and deep carpet with the bar in front of you. On it you will find three Black Country Ales and 7 guests every day. These all change regularly and are about £2.20 a pint - not bad given the budget this year. They are all served without sparkler and are in very good condition. For the non-beer drinker there is fruit wine, real cider or bottled foreign beers. Due to lack of kitchen space there is no food at present which is a shame as Nigel was well known for cheap good quality food elsewhere. However, the policy at present is to allow you to bring your own food in from either Sainsbury's or Tesco's or a takeaway and they will provide the plates and cutlery should you require it. The pub itself is a little on the small side and they have rather over stuffed it with tables and chairs to the left of the bar. Tables are square with chairs and the no smoking area - denoted by large letters on the beam above your head is not really separated from the smoking area, so beware. To the right of the bar is a large pillar which has tall stools round it and another seating area at the front of the pub. Toilets are available, but no accommodation. For the latter see the Briar Rose - Wetherspoon 100 meters down the road. Access for the disabled is not possible either due to steps - it shares its access with another building.

A basic estate pub, more spit and sawdust than pretty, but does serve Holdens beers and is not part of the brewers pub group. It gets a mixed set of drinkers, but retains a friendly atmosphere and they warm to you after a while.

Also Try:

Wellington, Bennetts Hill

For a place to stay whilst in Birmingham try The Prince hotel, Station Street (0121 643 1134) (you can see it from where the taxis congregate 'before' taking on fares, 1 minute from the station). Prices from £35 a night.

Black Country Tours

Anyone planning a Pub Tour has a few problems to solve before enjoyment can commence. A major challenge will be to organise transport. For smaller numbers you may be able to bribe or blackmail someone into driving you.... for larger numbers you may consider a coach. This brings its own challenges, largely concerned with the time taken to drive to, and between, pubs. Serious interruptions to the drinking process!

Your saviour may well be Black Country Tours, a specialist transport company based in Dudley, to the West of Birmingham. They operate a small fleet of specialist vehicles, designed to complement any tour of pubs, particularly in the Black Country

Imagine this : Your group assembles somewhere in the general Birmingham area. A double-decker bus operated by Black Country Tours arrives to pick you up. As you board, you notice something unusual.... a Bar. You immediately begin your evening's quest to Boldly Drink Where No One Has Drunk Before. Before the novelty of proposing toasts to passing police cars has worn off, you arrive at your first pub, and everyone disembarks to try stationary drinking. When it's time to continue, there is no argument. No-one hides in the loo, or insists on another Quick One. You simply continue drinking on the bus. This is where you also appreciate another of the vehicle's facilities - a toilet! So the evening continues. At one pub you stop for a meal, maybe with entertainment provided. You wander from pub to pub, drinking all the way! When Last Orders have been called at the last pub, you board your bus for the trip back home. Bliss!

Black Country Tours
138 Northfield Road, Netherton, Dudley, West Midlands, DY2 4ET
Tel 01384 231751