Category Archives: Permanently Closed

Permanently Closed, Walsall

Closed: The Butts Tavern

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Walsall:

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We used to call in here regularly, if we were walking home from the town centre, but it has to be 20 years since we were last in. We used The Fountain, which was unexpectedly lovely (being free from arseholes and keeping its usual high standards for beer) as a rest stop this time, and walked up the back streets.

It’s still a big, multi-room community pub, but these days it has a good (and justified) reputation for ale. Friendly customers, nice landlord, a quiet corner for us to sit in, we need to make this a more frequent call: even if the walk is too much it’s near a bus stop if you cut through a couple of public rights-of-way.

Birmingham, Permanently Closed

Permanently Closed: Pint Shop

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Birmingham City Centre:

Right next door to The Wellington, it’s a bit of a different thing, so they’ll probably co-exist quite happily.

This place is definitely towards the hipster craft beer end of the market, (faux-industrial light fittings, scaffold poles, a la Brewhouse and Kitchen) but it’s still a pretty Ok place to drink, or at least, it was on a Thursday afternoon- I think had it been a busier time I’d have liked it less. Great choice of beer, nice staff, outside space. Only real disadvantage is the (vertical) distance to the toilets, though there is an accessible one on the ground floor.

Lichfield, Permanently Closed, Staffordshire

Permanently Closed: Bitter-Suite

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Lichfield:

[edit: now closed, and re-opened as a Black Country Ales pub, The Bridge Tavern.]

A micropub that almost isn’t! It’s larger than some non-micro pubs, with 2 rooms and proper toilets, and outside space. What did make it feel like a micro was the welcome, the absence of noisy, awful music, the conversation, the shelf of Good Beer Guides, and the excellent beer.

This was a micro that was like pubs were and should be like; a comfortable, welcoming place with great beer, great staff, and social interaction if you wanted it. Very close to the bus station and Lichfield City rail station too.

Birmingham, Permanently Closed

[CLOSED] The Jekyll and Hyde

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Birmingham:

I wasn’t entirely expecting to like this- I was looking for a nearby pub I used to drink in occasionally years ago (that I think may have become this). It’s got a few warning signs- it is themed, and there’s a dedicated Gin Palace- but it was actually pleasant, despite being rammed, though we chose to sit outside (in December!!). Decent beer, pleasant staff.

[edit 2022: It’s now The Queens Head again.]

Norfolk, Permanently Closed, Wells

CLOSED: The Ark Royal

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Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk:


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This pub doesn’t look encouraging: it’s a frankly ugly 60s building in an otherwise pretty town, with benches set out on a patch of tarmac in front. However, looks can deceive: there’s real ale, decent cider, and all the nrmal tat, decent food, and friendly staff, so it pays to ignore the appearance.

chain, Permanently Closed, Walsall, Walsall Wood

Closed: The Horse and Jockey

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Walsall Wood:


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[edit: Now a Lidl supermarket]

This is near enough to be a local, but I’ve not been in for 3 years or so. It’s on the face of it, a by-the-numbers carvery pub, so not really my thing, but an old friend suggested it for a meet, and we needed food, so we went down a bit early. The food itself was predictable, but not bad at all, prices reasonable, and the drink reasonable too- staff very pleasant. There was even real ale, but nothing I fancied. The niff from the landfill over the road doesn’t help the ambience outside though.

An unusual twist is the gaffer from years ago has returned, so live music is featuring again.

Deal, Kent, Permanently Closed

CLOSED: The Jolly Gardener

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Deal, Kent:


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Jeebus, this was a bit grim.

The nearest pub to our holiday cottage, some of it has been converted to an Indian takeaway and a hairdressers. The pub is now one-room, and there’s only the usual keg beers and lagers. It’s very much a pub occupied by regulars, but sadly one of them seemed to enjoy ridiculing another, who was both pissed and mentally disabled. We drank our (OK) lager quickly……

Our landlady commented that it was once a lovely pub, but that it was now habituated by ne’er-do-wells.