Top local pub chap and rightful mayor of Walsall Mikee Evans went here a few weeks ago. We wanted to visit a friend in Willenhall and had loose plans for The Robin Hood, too.
This didn’t work out, but we did make The County. Recently refurbed, it’s a lot tidier and pleasant, and as Mikee mentioned, it still has seperate bar and lounge.
No cask ale, but tolerable lager, pleasant vibe, even in the bar. Not a destination pub, but one you’d happily drink in, unlike last time we visited.
Another un-plush pub, but comfortable enough, and again, no ale, but Stella on draught. Jamaican food (including takeaway), and a friendly enough place, clean and tidy, and again right by a 529 stop 🙂
Lovely. The star of the evening, I’d last been in here over 10 years ago, when Andy lived nearby. It’s changed a little- the room out back has got bigger, I think, but it’s still a multi-room, traditional pub. It’s a Black Country Taverns pub, and one of the better ones, with atmosphere as well as the usual great beer.
Just over the way from The Bridge, this was a different matter. Traditional, real ale, friendly (to the point of offering free samosas) and a nice place, even with a few kids about for the Bonfire Night celebrations.
Mixed feelings about this. The locals were a bit hostile, but the landlord friendly. The pub looks nice outside, but inside has suffered a by-the-numbers Punch Taverns makeover. Also there was no ale, as “it didn’t sell”, so we suffered Yardbird– at over 4 quid a pint. Not an awful pub, but not my kind of place.
Traditional drinkers pub, but the rougher type. No ale, no decent lager, so choosing a drink was hard, and not the most welcoming place either. We didn’t linger, as apart from anything else, the loud-looking disco was being set up.
Another by-the-numbers food pub, this time a Fayre & Square. Pretty quiet when we arrived at getting on for 10pm, it’s after the family feedbag market, and is very typically a feedbag pub, with owner Greene King’s beer in evidence. A bit soulless again, but not actually unpleasant, and convenient for my bus and Andy’s walk home.
A by-the-numbers Marstons feedbag pub, but fairly pleasant for it. A bit soulless, and the beer was a bit lacking IMO, but there was a choice of ale and there were other people just drinking, as well as us. Nothing special, but could be a lot worse.
Another refurbed Short Heath pub, and a nice job they’ve done too. Stripped floorboards, but no middle-class green, this was a busy local’s pub with a choice of real ale, pleasant staff, and tidy, but not up-itself decor. Music was on, but you could talk, and the TV muted. Another fine pub.
The start of Short Heath phase 1 of 100 pubs. This is Andy’s manor, and there’s sufficient for 2 visits.
I fist walked into the lounge- Andy was dropping the car at a relative’s nearby- and there was a private party, so I nipped round to the bar. The place looks to have been refurbed recently, and was quite smart and pleasant, and the locals were friendly. Sadly the Trooper ran out, but the HPA was good, and it was a nice place to start the evening.