Tag Archives: Staffordshire

Staffordshire

The Cross Keys

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Hednesford, Staffs:

CAMRA/Whatpub link

I’ve known The Cross Keys for a long time, and driven past it a lot, but somehow, I’ve never been in it until now. We were having a meal in the restaurant which occupies part of the building but is a separate business, and we were early for our table.

There’s decent outside space, but we headed inside. Friendly staff, very traditional and relaxing inside, 2 cask ales on offer and a couple of alcohol free options, friendly staff behind the bar- overall a nice place for a drink.

It’s a very old building, a former coaching inn, and the centre of Hednesford was here, but is now some way north.

Burntwood, Staffordshire

The Nelson

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Chorley, Burntwood, Staffordshire:

Website
CAMRA/Whatpub

We wanted to take our neighbours out for food and drinks, and The Nelson fitted the bill nicely: above average pub food, decent parking, a country pub atmosphere. It’s just outside Burntwood, but the suburban sprawl drops away quickly and it feels like a proper country pub.

It’s quite food-biased, though there are places to just drink. Food was very good, beer was apparently good, and there was a decent choice of alcohol-free too. Pleasant staff, and decent prices- it’s not bargain basement pub food, but it’s good value.

Staffordshire

The Two Pigs

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Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire:

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Previously The Red Lion this was sold off by Marstons and bought by the people that also own The Boat near Muckley Corner. The Boat is very much restaurant, not pub, but The Two Pigs is a bit more pubby, in that the front feels like a bar, though as you head back the restaurant feel becomes more prominent. Great food, as you’d expect- a step above typical pub food. Pleasant staff, nice laid-back atmosphere, pleasant interior. Real ale on offer.

Staffordshire

The Chetwynd Arms

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Upper Longdon, near Lichfield, Staffs:

Whatpub Link
Website

What a pleasant village pub this was: there is dining, but the food bias is in dining rooms, there’s a comfortable bar area with a real fire. Modernish decor in places, but tastefully done. Pleasant staff and locals, good beer choice (sadly I was driving), acceptable music on at a volume we could hear but still talk. I’d love this to be my local…

Burntwood, Staffordshire

The Wych Elm

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Burntwood, Staffs:

Whatpub Link
Website

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.

Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire

The Anchor Inn

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Burton-upon Trent, Staffs:

Whatpub link

We stepped off a bus in Burton, and this was in sight. We’d got plans for other pubs, but the sun was over the yardarm, and we needed so get our bearings a bit, so in we went.

Nothing terribly exceptional, but a nice enough pub, a friendly landlord, and a decent pint of Pedigree. Inside was traditional but opened out, a typical town-centre boozer.

Burntwood, Closed, Revisits, Staffordshire

[CLOSED] Revisit: Sankey’s Tap House

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Original post
Whatpub link

It’s been 4 years sine we went here, and it’s changed a little.

The layout has changed a bit, it’s been decorated and refurbished. There’s two toilets now, not just a single one. The proprietor has settled in to the place and now seems entirely at ease: our first visit was very early on and he was getting to grips with it.

What hasn’t changed is that said proprietor is really friendly, the beer is still fantastic, the music is still present but not too loud.

It has continued table service after the lifting of Covid restrictions, and I feel this suits it well: the benefit of not having crowds around the bar.

Basically, it was great in 2017, and it’s even better now 🙂

Rugeley, Staffordshire

Ye Olde Windmill Inn

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Gentleshaw, Staffs:

Whatpub Link
Website

A proper country pub, but only up the road, really, just over the border in Staffs, but it really is countryside- not an awkward halfway house where there’s no amenities but all the disadvantages of urban life, but actual open country.

I’d been meaning to go here for years, but the disadvantage of proper country is that it’s not accessible by public transport, and it’s a bit further than I’d usually cycle, so the offer of a chauffeured visit and lunch seemed worthwhile.

They’ve repurposed a bit of what was apparently parking in front of the pub to a terrace area (with great views), but there’s still decent parking over the road- a good thing, given that car is how many people will be getting here, and the lanes are too narrow to park in.

The pub itself is nice, traditional, multi-roomed, beamed. There’s decent real ale, great food, and pleasant staff. There’s a bowling green outside, too, as well as a play area that hopefully might keep the kids corralled in, and the remains of the windmill that gives the pub its name.

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.