Short Heath:
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.
Lane Head:
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.
Lane Head, Short Heath:
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.
Short Heath:
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.
Short Heath/Wednesfield:
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.
Short Heath:
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.
Short Heath:
Outside, a standard 1960s estate pub- apparently a fast-disappearing type of building. Inside, it’s a feedbag, but the other sort of feedbag: the pub with Indian food. The food smelt fantastic, to be fair. A little bit of the tall-seat-and-table standard pub furniture, but a friendly owner, decent beer, and the TV muted won it back some points. Not the atmosphere of The Whimsey, but a nice pub.
Short Heath:
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.
Short Heath:
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.