Tag Archives: chain

The White House

Aldridge:

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When I were but a lad, this was the place to go for underage drinking, and it had a video jukebox, the essential think back in the mid-late 80s. Nowadays, it’s a pretty standard Sizzling Pub feedbag, which is why we dropped in, looking for lunch. I was driving 🙁

We ordered drinks and sat down, before it dawned upon us just how cold it was. The heating was shafted, so we drank up and left. Shame really, it looked OK, if unexceptional, the staff were pleasant.

The Wych Elm

Burntwood, Staffs:

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We’d been for an excellent Chinese meal nearby, and I’d not been in here for some 35 years, so we gave it a go as it was a handy place to get picked up from, and we’d already been to Vintage Liquid Taphouse nearby.

It’s not bad, but nothing special, either: a typical family feedbag pub, a little grubby in places. Evidently older than I remembered it (I thought is was modern, but it’s probably Victorian)

Standard feedbag menu, some cask ale, usual suspects otherwise. Surprisingly quiet for a Friday night.

The Met

Walsall:

Previously The Wharf and Bar 10.

Mikee Evans has been here following the refurb, re-naming, and re-opening. We were behind the curve, but a visit to the nearby cinema presented the opportunity. As you can see, we’re following him around the re-openings.

I was a little surprised that its latest incarnation- a sports bar with a bit of an American diner theme going on- was a Davenports house- it doesn’t appear on their website- but the branding and their beers are there. There’s aspects of decor that echo The Queens Head, as well.

It’s not bad. It’s been tidied up- notably the toilets- but given their state when is was Bar 10, it’s a good thing- I’m not fussy, but pissing into the canal basin would have been a better idea then. Now, they’re clean and tidy.

There’s some cask, and a big choice of other stuff. There’s a diner-like menu- which while my burger suffered from tall burger syndrome, and there was enough salt on the fries to grit the roads with, but overall, it wasn’t bad at all. I’m not sure if I’d like it as much in the evening, though.

The Prense Well

Heswall, Chesire:

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It’s a ‘spoons, move along, nothing to see here.

Actually, I’ll comment here, instead of my usual line. It is a ‘spoons, so you know the drill, cheap food and booze.

However, it’s quite a new ‘spoons- they took over a previous pub just under a year ago, and the building was previously a telephone exchange, becoming a pub in 2007.

It still looks clean and fresh inside, and actually had more atmosphere than the Jug & Bottle nearby.

The Boathouse

Parkside, Wirral:

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A 1926 cafe that became a pub, though there was a pub here previously, t the opposite end to The Old Quay.
A Hydes pub, this pub is multi-area- there’s no actual doors but there’s clearly defined areas- with the conservatory at the back being very much dining focused. There’s a load of outside space too, which made a great place to sit on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Decent beer, and decent staff, though the one chap (the manager?) seemed a bit full-on, shall we say. Great food, too- a step above average pub food.

Revisit: The Tap and Tanner

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Grand National Day again, and another visit to The Tap and Tanner. No Walsall Beer Festival this time, and the pub has been refurbed, so it’s a bit smarter inside. Also, the staff were really pleasant this time.

The worst problem remains though, and that’s the noise. Multiple TVs showing sport, but on different channels, and huge PA-style speakers playing the sound from one. We found the only vacant seats, and discovered why they were vacant- right under the speakers, where we couldn’t hear each other. We did try the beer garden, which was nice, but when the sun went in it was too cold.

Beer was fine, prices fine, staff pleasant, but fuck, the noise. We left with headaches.