Category Archives: Pelsall

Revisit: The Railway

Previous revisit post here

CAMRA Whatpub

Another revisit to The Railway. I’m a regular, but infrequent visitor: it’s not far away but a bit of a pain by bus, and I’m not up to the walk any more.

The Railway had the same landlord, Tom, for *years*. Since I started drinking, pretty much, I think.

It really suffered when he retired, and had a couple of poor temporary custodians, got a terrible reputation, and then closed again. Dark words were uttered about how much money would be needed to make it viable.

Which turned out to be bollocks. It has a new landlady, and while you could argue some spending would tidy it up a bit, it’s clean, the beer is good, the welcome is friendly, and it’s back to being a great, traditional pub looking over Pelsall’s common, and the ill-thought-out Spongebob Squarepants kids events are gone.

Timothy Taylor Landlord in good nick, decent crusty cobs. Outside space. A seperate bar and lounge. A landlady that listens to customers. There’s a lot to like.

Revisit: The Queens Hotel

Pelsall.

Previous post here
Original post here
Whatpub link

Revisit of a revisit. The pub’s changed a little, and there’s new people running it.

This visit was early doors on a Thursday, and once again followed by a trip the Co-op for beer and a curry in the nearby restaurant. It’s been opened out a bit more, I think, and there was a pleasant vibe of after-work drinkers. It’s a big old pub, this, and it wasn’t as dark as previous visits, which was nice.

Only cask ale was Hobgoblin, so Stella it was. pleasant, friendly staff and locals, decent wine too. Music on, but not intrusively loud.

Revisit: The Queens Hotel

Original post here.

We actually visited twice this day: once before our curry, and then, in the company of Andy, so we got to add it to #100pubs.

First visit wasn’t encouraging; the football was on the TV at stupid volume, and we gave up waiting to get served, bought beer from the Co-op, and headed for our curry early. Returning later, a party was in progress in the back, and the whole pub was rammed, but the atmosphere and the beer was good (and there were enough staff). I’ve never seen it so busy.

The Old Bush Inn

Pelsall:

[edit] Closed and mostly burnt down.

Another pub that’s seen varying guises: having been a bit of a food pub briefly, it’s now back to it’s original guise of a average, traditional pub just off the common.

Our visit was marred by the beer (my Pedigree was best suited to be used on chips, Stymistress’s budweiser had some of it spilled while being poured into the (plastic) glass, and the barmaid left some of it in the bottle until I asked), and the children whose parents allowed them to run around in circles. Now I know why I always head to The Railway.

The Railway

Arguably the best pub in Pelsall: a friendly landlord, decent beer, good value food and a commonside location together with traditional pub atmosphere- this has been a infrequent but regular haunt for 20 years now. I’ve never seen this place quiet, plus it’s the only pub in Pelsall open at 12 on the dot on Christmas Day :-). It gets the name from the railway that used to run just behind it, but as per usual, got killed off by Beeching.

The Fingerpost

AKA The Royal Oak, this sits handily alongside the Canal at the north end of Pelsall. It was the Royal Oak for years, until a previous landlord met a nasty end after a robbery. It was refurbished and relaunched as The Fingerpost, at first pitching itself a little high for the locality, but now represents a fairly OK chain pub with Ok food and beer and a great canalside patio for the summer.

[edit]
It’s also free from 2010 World Cup Football. That’s worth a few points…