BITE user comments - thatchrisdude
Comments by thatchrisdude
The The Gate Inn, Sutton Coldfield
CORRECTION: Found out Enterprise own The Gate, sorry M&B.
4 Nov 2009 16:34
The The Gate Inn, Sutton Coldfield
Was shocked to hear The Gate has closed!!!! Heard from one of the staff that M&B (if my memory sevres me) didnt get on with the manager/didnt like the way he ran things. I find that very hard to believe seeing as this placed was packed out most nights and was becoming one of Suttons popular entertainment spots. Well dont take my word for it just check out the below reviews, I think the top dogs at M&B need too.
3 Nov 2009 15:46
The Figure of Eight, Birmingham
Paid a visit to the Figure of Eight during the recent beer festival and I was pleased to see a good number of guests available, I've noticed a lot of wetherspoons aren�t like this, funnily enough a lot of CAMRA award winning wetherspoons, kind of ironic. All the beers we tried were of good quality. The pub was clean and had a good atmosphere. Only one complaint some in our group ordered profiteroles roles which were very plentiful for the price but were frozen solid making it rather difficult to eat, only a minor quibble though. Otherwise a enjoyable visit.
3 Nov 2009 15:17
The Bottle of Sack, Sutton Coldfield
Update: I have twice visited during the current beer festival. Both occasions have been a pleasure. There have been 7 different guests on each time plus a guest cider. Each time we tried all the beers on offer and not one was disappointing. I like to visit a few different wetherspoons when they have their festivals on and amazingly for the second time The Sack has come up trumps. Compared to several CAMRA award winning wetherspoons I've visited during the festivals The Sack has been the real winner, something I didnt expect.
3 Nov 2009 14:54
I won't lie I found it hard to find good points about this place. On my last few visits I have noticed an odd musky smell that is noticable around the whole pub. Your nose does get used to this smell eventually but it can be a bit off putting on the first visit. Now I will say that this is one of the few Lloyds Bars that actully looks like a Lloyds should look saying that very little natural light gets in resulting in the pub being very dark even if its sunny outside. The neons and low lighting look great at night but during the day it can look dark and dull. The upstairs bar is flooded with sunlight but everytime I've been bar one saturday the bar upstairs has been closed, whats the point. The place also felt dirty but I cant put my finger on why. As mentioned below the place can be packed with prams, screaming kids, benefit cheats and people living off our taxes. In my opinion this place should be packed with students with Worcester Uni close by and most of the students living in or near the city centre. It could make a small fortune. So now positives. The staff were very polite and quick to serve on all my visits. The beer was in good in all respects. I really dont think places like this should sell ale but to be fair the ones I tried all tasted excellent.
23 Sep 2009 16:28
A couple of recent visits to Worcester meant couple of visits to The Postal Order and thats a good thing. I really like this pub, its not going to be everyones cup of tea, but it ticks all the basic boxes. This pub is in the 2009 Good Beer Guide (havnt checked out 2010 yet) and it deserves to be. On the ocassions I've visited there have been between 4 and 6 guests plus Abbot Ale and Pedigree, oh and that crap Ruddles. The guests have always been interesting and in good condition. This is a old skool Wetherspoons so it is quite dark in there but saying that its clean and well presented. My only critisim is the toilets, when you use them its like being sent to the dungens. There clean and in good order but there down some dark stairs near the front door and when your down there you feel cut off from the rest of the world, ok maybe thats a bit OTT but they do let the place down. Makes me want to slap the designer Wetherspoons used. Otherwise a great ale pub.
19 Sep 2009 18:46
I paid another visit to The Square Peg recently; it�s been about 6 months since my last visit. This time round I noticed some things had improved and other things hadn�t. Firstly the good points, we all ordered food on this visit and weren�t disappointed as it arrived quickly and tasted great. This encouraged us to order deserts with an equally good outcome. We sat in quiet part of the pub toward the back out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the bar, this is a welcome relief allowing you to converse in peace and watch the world outside go by. I didn�t order any ales (I�ll explain why) but instead ordered a Guinness, John Smiths and a bottle of Weston�s Organic Cider. The two pints were nicely chilled and tasted great which did surprise me as they have a lot of T-bars that lead me to think the beer would sit in the lines for a long time. The bottle was also chilled and the glass was clean and cool, again no complaints. Now the bad points starting of course with the ale. As mentioned so many times on here there were no guests available, all the badges were there but all had �Available Soon� attached to them. They only had the usual Wetherspoon house ales which I�m not a fan of. What really annoys me is that this could be a CAMRA award winning pub if the right manager took over, there are 20 pumps spread down the bar giving so much to work with. Frustrating. The pub is looking a bit old and tired and could do with a spring clean and a lick of paint. The staff were pretty efficient when I visited but they weren�t the happiest bunch, not really a complaint though just an observation. So it wasn�t a bad visit by any means we all enjoyed ourselves, but there�s still run for improvement. I�ll be visiting again (hopefully they might have some nice guests on next time, fingers crossed).
1 Sep 2009 15:35
I paid another visit to The Square Peg recently; it�s been about 6 months since my last visit. This time round I noticed some things had improved and other things hadn�t. Firstly the good points, we all ordered food on this visit and weren�t disappointed as it arrived quickly and tasted great. This encouraged us to order deserts with an equally good outcome. We sat in quiet part of the pub toward the back out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the bar, this is a welcome relief allowing you to converse in peace and watch the world outside go by. I didn�t order any ales (I�ll explain why) but instead ordered a Guinness, John Smiths and a bottle of Weston�s Organic Cider. The two pints were nicely chilled and tasted great which did surprise me as they have a lot of T-bars that lead me to think the beer would sit in the lines for a long time. The bottle was also chilled and the glass was clean and cool, again no complaints. Now the bad points starting of course with the ale. As mentioned so many times on here there were no guests available, all the badges were there but all had �Available Soon� attached to them. They only had the usual Wetherspoon house ales which I�m not a fan of. What really annoys me is that this could be a CAMRA award winning pub if the right manager took over, there are 20 pumps spread down the bar giving so much to work with. Frustrating. The pub is looking a bit old and tired and could do with a spring clean and a lick of paint. The staff were pretty efficient when I visited but they weren�t the happiest bunch, not really a complaint though just an observation. So it wasn�t a bad visit by any means we all enjoyed ourselves, but there�s still run for improvement. I�ll be visiting again (hopefully they might have some nice guests on next time, fingers crossed).
1 Sep 2009 15:35
I paid another visit to The Square Peg recently; it�s been about 6 months since my last visit. This time round I noticed some things had improved and other things hadn�t. Firstly the good points, we all ordered food on this visit and weren�t disappointed as it arrived quickly and tasted great. This encouraged us to order deserts with an equally good outcome. We sat in quiet part of the pub toward the back out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the bar, this is a welcome relief allowing you to converse in peace and watch the world outside go by. I didn�t order any ales (I�ll explain why) but instead ordered a Guinness, John Smiths and a bottle of Weston�s Organic Cider. The two pints were nicely chilled and tasted great which did surprise me as they have a lot of T-bars that lead me to think the beer would sit in the lines for a long time. The bottle was also chilled and the glass was clean and cool, again no complaints. Now the bad points starting of course with the ale. As mentioned so many times on here there were no guests available, all the badges were there but all had �Available Soon� attached to them. They only had the usual Wetherspoon house ales which I�m not a fan of. What really annoys me is that this could be a CAMRA award winning pub if the right manager took over, there are 20 pumps spread down the bar giving so much to work with. Frustrating. The pub is looking a bit old and tired and could do with a spring clean and a lick of paint. The staff were pretty efficient when I visited but they weren�t the happiest bunch, not really a complaint though just an observation. So it wasn�t a bad visit by any means we all enjoyed ourselves, but there�s still run for improvement. I�ll be visiting again (hopefully they might have some nice guests on next time, fingers crossed).
1 Sep 2009 15:35
I paid another visit to The Square Peg recently; it�s been about 6 months since my last visit. This time round I noticed some things had improved and other things hadn�t. Firstly the good points, we all ordered food on this visit and weren�t disappointed as it arrived quickly and tasted great. This encouraged us to order deserts with an equally good outcome. We sat in quiet part of the pub toward the back out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the bar, this is a welcome relief allowing you to converse in peace and watch the world outside go by. I didn�t order any ales (I�ll explain why) but instead ordered a Guinness, John Smiths and a bottle of Weston�s Organic Cider. The two pints were nicely chilled and tasted great which did surprise me as they have a lot of T-bars that lead me to think the beer would sit in the lines for a long time. The bottle was also chilled and the glass was clean and cool, again no complaints. Now the bad points starting of course with the ale. As mentioned so many times on here there were no guests available, all the badges were there but all had �Available Soon� attached to them. They only had the usual Wetherspoon house ales which I�m not a fan of. What really annoys me is that this could be a CAMRA award winning pub if the right manager took over, there are 20 pumps spread down the bar giving so much to work with. Frustrating. The pub is looking a bit old and tired and could do with a spring clean and a lick of paint. The staff were pretty efficient when I visited but they weren�t the happiest bunch, not really a complaint though just an observation. So it wasn�t a bad visit by any means we all enjoyed ourselves, but there�s still run for improvement. I�ll be visiting again (hopefully they might have some nice guests on next time, fingers crossed).
1 Sep 2009 15:34
The Bottle of Sack, Sutton Coldfield
Ahh The Bottle of Sack. You either love it or you hate it. Thats a statement Wetherspoons could use as effectively as Marmite did. It still amazes me how diverse The Sack's clientel is, during the day you get a good mix of old people, families, couples, students and local working folk on their lunch break. At night you get a spread of age groups enjoying a quiet drink with friends or just out to get as drunk as possible, lets not beat about the bush. Saying that I've noticed the management and staff keeping a close eye on people doing the latter which is good to see. The guest ale quality is very good even with that tap water trying to be a beer Ruddles being �1.29 a pint. They often have beers from The Backyard Brew House and other local micro breweries which are always worth a try. The last beer festival was excellent and the staff were very enthusiastic when I visisted, shame the reviewer below didnt have the same experience. They had 7 of the 10 pumps for the guest ales and the remaining three for the house ales, we tried all 7 and were very impressed by the quality. I'm looking forward to the next festival. I find food can be hit and miss, the chip portions can be on the small side at times and I've noticed a couple of items go back because there cold but 9/10 its pretty good considering some meals are only �2.99. I think The Sack has improved a great deal in recent months, funny thing is that The Bottle of Sack used to be the cheapest pub in Sutton Coldfield and that garanteed custom but now the Litten Tree is cheapest yet its always empty but The Bottle of Sack is still very busy. Says it all really.
31 Aug 2009 13:31
The Sun on the Hill, Birmingham
The picture above with the "pub to let" sign says it all. This place has closed once again, its changed hands a few times now. I've never been in simply because the frontage always looks nasty, no other word for it. I would glance through the window when I passed and it would always be dark and dank with pretty much all the light coming from the huge projector screen on the back wall showing Sky Sports News or some sporting event. If I took this place over I would like to make it into a pub to take on The Wellington, a nice cosy pub with a focus on ale. I love The Wellington dont get me wrong but they've had it too easy for too long, I think the next person to take this place over should try and give The Wellington a run for its money and give Birmingham another fine ale pub.
30 Aug 2009 13:02
The Lost and Found, Birmingham
I like this pub, I'll say that straight off the bat. Its one of three great pubs within 30 seconds of each other. I've always found the beer and the service to be very good. The decor is impressive but starting to show its age now, the painting on the huge back wall is starting to peel and in my honest opinion looked pretty rough even when it was in mint condition. As mentioned by others its very spacious, I get the impression the management don't know what to do with all the space as it can feel abit "empty" even when its packed full of people drinking and enjoying themselves, I personally prefer a cosy feel to a pub rather than open and airy. The beer has always been great when I've drank here, its great to see a pub with Hobgoblin as a house beer. They also sell Desperados which is a cracking bottled lager flavoured with tequila, great stuff. One thing to mention is price I think it is rather expensive in here for both food and drink, I think this could be the reason why Bennetts is nearly always void of customers. Saying that it doesnt put me off at all, I enjoy the beer here even more so when I'm with good company. Oh yeah, if you even wanted to be on The Crystal Maze just visit the toilets.
30 Aug 2009 12:45
The Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield
I must admit I was dragged here unwillingly by a couple of mates who are regulars to The Sutton Park. Now my first thoughts as I walked in where that this is a locals place, the kind where everyone knows everyone else (which aint a bad thing at all) this was confirmed as my two mates waved and said hello to staff and customers alike. But even with two mates there I felt abit like a man with a falk in a world of soup. Saying that I had a very nice pint of Brew XI which went down a treat, the food was also alot better than I expected but to be honest I can imagine it being abit hit and miss depending on how busy it is and what time you order. Now service, comments below have bought this into question and I would agree with alot of them. Becuase I was with people that knew the staff we got served very quickly but others around us had been waiting alot longer than us and understandably they made it known to the bar staff. But I wouldnt blame it all on the staff as the bar is quite big and there never seems to be enough staff on. The landlord/manager was on the floor glad handing the regulars which I always praise, he was also keeping a good eye on who was using the pub. A young "gentleman", dressed in sports gear and a cap so far back on his head I'm supprised it didnt keep falling off, walked in and head straight to the toilets the landlord picked up on this right away and followed him in, a few seconds later the young "gentleman" walked out closely followed by the landlord. I don't think he wanted to use the tiolets for the intended purpose, enough said really. So The Sutton Park is a nice enough pub with good beer and good food, but dont be supprised if you do feel abit out of place when you first visit.
18 Aug 2009 11:20
The Horse and Jockey, Sutton Coldfield
I've been here a few times now but never find myself staying for anymore than a couple of drinks. Its a nice Ember Inns pub with a good choice of ale, with Brew XI as one of the house ales. The beer is well kept too so no complaints on the drink front. We ordered food on our last visit about 15 minutes before the kitchen closed which made me think it would come out in a rather dire state but to my pleasent supprise it came out hot and well prepared. The staff were also very friendly, I think the only real problem here, as mentioned below, is the way the bar is laid out. It does have a negative effect on service, I cant really explain why but i does. Otherwise this a really nice place to start a tour of Suttons establishments as its at the top end of the town.
18 Aug 2009 10:40
The Three Tuns, Sutton Coldfield
The Three Tuns is now the only Thwaites pub in Sutton Coldfield since The Cup was passed on to other hands. I think I'm correct in saying that its Suttons oldest pub and was used by Shakespeare when it was a half way house, but dont hold me to that. Its quite an unusual building, it basically looks like two halfs of oposite buildings with a roofed ally way in the middle joining the two. The beer here is pretty much all Thwaites own stuff but that aint a bad thing, they often have Wainwrights and Lancaster Bomber two great beers. As mentioned it is abit pricey but thats not the point, the point is that you can come in here and not feel like some tracksuit wearing crack head is about to jump you if so much as blink at him the wrong way. This has become a regular watering hole for me.
28 May 2009 11:14
The The Gate Inn, Sutton Coldfield
Paid another visit to The Gate last night and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. They had a open mic night on and we were graced with a fantastic rendition of Sultans of Swing which preceeded a awesome drum and guitar riff. The atmosphere was great but I did feel a little under age in there and I'm 22.
27 May 2009 11:16
I hate to say it but this place is growing on me. Several recent visits have been very enjoyable. The fantastic ale range has been mentioned before, the ones we tried were Mad Goose (excellent), Erosion - 8 something % (gutt rotting but excellent all the same) and Titanic Iron Curtain which was my personal favourite, the chocolate and vanilla flavours mentioned on the badge really come through but arnt over powering or sickly making it stand out against other stouts I've tried. One of the group tried one of the foriegn largers on sale (I cant remember the country of origin) but it was one of the few largers I've tried which had some flavour to it. Ill be frequenting here alot more often.
19 May 2009 11:08
Paid a visit to O'neills on a monday night as it was on route to our final destination. On entering we soon realised we were the only people in there, this was about 9:00-9:30pm. We were quite supprised this was the case as this place is packed at the weekend. The barman was very friendly and I think he was happy too see us (I can imagine he was bored out of his mind untill we arrived). I'll happily say he was a credit to M&B who own O'neills. I enjoyed a nice pint of Guinness followed by the new Pear Magners which was very tasty. At about 10:30 the barman asked if we would like anything else before he closed the bar which I thought was very proffesional. A good visit which was enjoyed by all, Ill definatly visit again on a monday.
19 May 2009 10:08
Decided to go to The Bishop Vesey during the beer festival being held by wetherspoons and was disapointed by the selection this CAMRA award winning pub had. Out of the 12 pumps they have only 5 of them were occupied by festival ales and the whole setup seemed to lack effort. Saying that the ones we tried all tasted very good and were well kept, but the Bottle of Sack (the wetherspoons round the corner) which hasn't won any awards had a much better range of about 7 or 8 and they all tasted great. Moaning aside the beer garden was clean and a nice afternoon spent in the sun was had, with a tasty pint in hand.
19 Apr 2009 13:43
I recently visited The Assembly Rooms again and I had much better experience than last time. It was pretty quiet amazingly compared to a very busy White Swan. This place should be alot busier than it was considering it was a lovely easter holiday afternoon. First thing I noticed was the rather huge price drop that has occured here, the once �3ish pints are now between �1-�2 which is alot more reasonable in my opinion. Prices do go up thursday to saturday but its not as wallet destroying as it once was. I had a pint of Purity Gold which was really nice considering this isnt really an ale focused place. The decor hasnt changed but the place looked good inside and out in the sunshine and it didnt feel cramped this time round. We sat up stairs on some very comfy sofas with the sunlight streaming through the windows and it felt very spacious really thanks to the very tall ceilling. A much better experience was had this time round, I will visit again.
9 Apr 2009 12:48
The Old Joint Stock, Birmingham
During a recent daytime tour of Birminghams pubs we decided to pay another visit to The Old Joint Stock based on a visit had on a previous outting. I have to be blunt and say I cant knock this place at all, reading coments below makes me wonder if their talking about the same Old Joint Stock as me? Firstly I have to point out a comment below stating that a pint of Discovery was served cold. I hope the person below realises that its meant to be served cold and has the word "chilled" on the pump clip. I only bring this up as it one of my favourite drinks here along with the superb ESB. Some of our group decided to order food this time round and werent disappointed it arrived quickly and was very hot. We visited at lunch time and it was very busy but I felt service was quick and friendly.
25 Mar 2009 12:31
On a recent daytime session in Birmingham we happened to drop in to the Solomon Cutler just by chance really. They only have three ales on here but thats not really a problem more an act of common sense. I had a pint of Wychwood Dirty Tackle which was really good. We decided to eat here and were all impressed by the quality of the food, it was nice and hot plus it arrived in a reasonable amount of time. In all I was glad we poped in, the only down side to the whole visit was using the gents toilets. As I walked in the wall to the left had a rather large blood stain on it. Im supprised the staff checking the toilets didnt notice it.
25 Mar 2009 12:11
On a recent daytime session in Birmingham we happened to drop in to the Solomon Cutler just by chance really. They only have three ales on here but thats not really a problem more an act of common sense. I had a pint of Wychwood Dirty Tackle which was really good. We decided to eat here and were all impressed by the quality of the food, it was nice and hot plus it arrived in a reasonable amount of time. In all I was glad we poped in, the only down side to the whole visit was using the gents toilets. As I walked in the wall to the left had a rather large blood stain on it. Im supprised the staff checking the toilets didnt notice it.
25 Mar 2009 12:11
The Shakespeare Inn, Birmingham
There were no ales available when I visited so I opted for a pint of Guinness which was nicely chilled and very tasty but the barman who served us wasn't the sharpest tool in the box. I ordered a pint of guinness and a southern comfort and lemonade and this nearly turned into a much bigger order, basically I had to phisically stop the guy pouring two pints of guinness and had to repeat my order several times. Now he was very polite and maybe he had things on his mind but it was abit of a struggle. The fact that all four pumps where off was annouying but working in a bar myself I can kind of understand that this happens now and again. The decor isnt anything to shout about and I really think this place is abit over rated. But to be fair we enjoyed ourselves in there and thats the main thing.
17 Feb 2009 19:36
I was unsure about visiting Pennyblacks as soon as I heard it was in the Mailbox beside the canal, I niavely thought it would be a super trendy place that only sells drinks with names I cant pronounce and frequented by people in suits, which really aint my cup of earl grey. When we arrived I was pleasntly supprised as it was a very modern looking place but with a down to earth feel about it. It sells all the usual stuff you would expect and is also the only place in the Mailbox to sell ales which is nice to see. I had a pint of Hooky Gold which was abit dry for my taste but perfectly kept. The way the bar is basically back to front is abit weird and the bar is made up partly by tables which again is wierd but I really liked that you could see into the cellar from the bar through a window, nice touch. It was roughly �9 for 2 pints and 2 halfs not cheap but then again not over priced. Can bet this place would be packed during a hot summer afternoon which would be the icing on a already very tasty cake. Next time I'm in Birmingham I'll be making my way to here rather than my usual haunts.
17 Feb 2009 19:16
The Old Joint Stock, Birmingham
Paid a visit to The Old Joint Stock on recommendation from The Good Beer Guide and Good Pub Guide. The beer selection was very good on the ale front, my friend and I had a pint of chilled Fullers Discovery, there were about 8 ales to choose from if I remember correctly all from Fullers apart from the one guest. The service wasnt as bad as people are making out in my opinion but we did visit when it was quiet. I hear at 5 oclock onwards this place is packed with the local office staff so that could mean a slower more abrupt service. Prices are a little steep but its the city centre so its not over priced by any means. The building and interior are the real stars though, I won't go into details but its impressive. I will be visiting again and alot more often.
17 Feb 2009 18:51
This will be the third post I've left about this pub. I've now been coming here once a week for about a year. In previous comments I had a few quibbles but now I find it hard to knock this place. The ales are fantastic why this place isn't mentioned in the Good Beer Guide or fequented by CAMRA memebers I don't know. Every week there are different ales on sale with Landlord as the house. Last week I had a lovely pint of Ginger Tosser (I forget the brewery) great name and a great beer but a very unusal smell. I've never had a bad pint here. Food is also fantastic, a simple bowl of chips was soon ordered by everyone on our table after just one being ordered orignally. But they don't have any desserts which is unusal and unexplainable. The staff are great, the ones who were once obnoxious and blunt are now much more relaxed and friendly. Maybe its because they've got to know me but I have noticed a difference in their attitude with all customers. There are a few problems still for example on weekend nights the place is packed out and both bars can end up being about 3 deep yet there never seems to be enough staff on to handle the demand. And with the huge amounts of people comes a huge amount of heat and I'm nearly 100% sure The Station does not have air conditioning which is crazy!! If they do they don't use it and the smell from lots of sweaty people can be quite something. The toilets simply arn't big enough either and as previously mentioned can amit a rather nasty smell if positioned near to them. The Landlord/manager is still about but not as much as usual (which ain't a bad thing) he does get alot of stick on here but it is justifiable. On one visit I was late arriving and my friends pointed this out and he over heard it and bluntly refused me service until I explained why I was late. Now I can take a joke as well as the next person but he wasn't joking and it took a great deal of unnecessary effort to get served, so much so I nearly walked out, there was simply no need. To finish on a positive this place is great in many ways and like many people this is becoming my favourite pub in Sutton Coldfield.
7 Feb 2009 18:11
I can back up previous comments about the ale being in good condition I had a great pint of Dark Star Best Bitter. It seems that the famous/imfamous 99p IPA has not affected the quality of the other ales. This is an old school wetherspoons in terms of decor but clean and comfatable none the less. Staff were friendly and attentive.
Simple and sweet, can't go wrong with a visit.
7 Feb 2009 16:58
A recent visit to The Gate House has proved change does seem to be in the air. Still not as great as it could be but getting there. The horrible chav/looser atmosphere the place once had does seem to have gone or at least going. Its a shame that the place is so dark why they re-painted that lovely cream colour to a really dark red I don't know. The bar has a very unfortunate shape I won't go into details but who ever designed it was an idiot. Ok so positives, its one of the few lloyds that actully looks like a lloyds should look. Its not full of middle aged people trying to be 20 again (well not when I visisted anyway), the beer was beautifully chilled and tasty and the prices where some of the lowest I've seen in a lloyds. Keep it up.
7 Feb 2009 16:50
The The Gate Inn, Sutton Coldfield
First went here, after it changed owners, during a game of pub golf. I was unsure of what it would be like and was pleasently supprised. The staff were very welcoming and there was an open mic night on and some of our group went up to sing and were warmly welcomed by the band and the customers. Considering there was about 20+ of us trying to fit into an already busy small pub I was supprised at how welcoming everyone was. I've been here a few times since and still find the place very welcoming. Drink quality is good I had a nice pint of Black Sheep Best Bitter. The only negative, and I'm just nit picking, is that its a shame the place isn't bigger.
31 Jan 2009 15:32
Since the opening of The Assembly Rooms the White Swan has slipped into the shadow of the bigger more modern Lloyds Bar. But that isn't a bad thing because the White Swan was becoming to popular for its own good. I would often visit on a weekday night to find the place packed and few staff to handle the high number of customers. But now the strain has been taken by The Assembly Rooms The White Swan is now running at a more reasonable level of custom, in turn this means The Swan has a more relaxed environment. They have five guest ales on which are slightly over priced in my opinion but were all very good last time I visited. I didnt try the three house ales but didnt hear any complaints off people drinking them. I now find myself visiting The Swan more often they I once did.
16 Jan 2009 20:41
The Litten Tree, Sutton Coldfield
I've been hearing rumors about this place closing again. But I've been hearing that on and off for a couple of years now so I'm not taking it too seriously. Saying that it wouldnt supprise me if it did close soon. The Litten Tree often closes early during the week and isn't very busy weekend nights. I find the problems arise from the decor being very much like a social club in the sence that its dark, dark furniture, dark carpet and low lighting. Now in some places this would work but the Litten Tree has little natural light coming in, which for a town centre pub is whats needed. There are some big bay windows but there covered in point of sale so very little light gets in that way. This in turn gives the place very little atmosphere and makes it quiet depressing. Price isn't much of an issue here now , most things are cheaper or only a few pence more than the wetherspoons across the street. The Litten Tree is known for its sports coverage which should secure its future but when the place is packed with people watching the many well placed screens very few have actully purchased anything, an obvious and very big problem, and one I can't explain. Food is good, inexpensive and reasonably quick to arrive. I really do think the down fall of the Litten Tree is in its decor and atmosphere. We'll have to wait and see what the future holds for The Litten Tree.
16 Jan 2009 20:14
Heard this place took �46,000 on mad friday alone (19th december), impressive.
23 Dec 2008 22:03
The comment below is correct in saying you wouldn�t call this place your local and I would go as far as saying you wouldn�t call it a pub. Instead it�s a coffee shop/restaurant that has the added bonus of selling alcoholic beverages. Ok maybe that�s a bit unfair, but it does sell a hell of a lot of coffee and food. Now if you've read any of my other reviews you'll see I hate pubs that sell large amounts of coffee simply because it slows service. But I think The Abraham Derby might have solved the problem. They've basically got one till that simply serves coffee, I think you can order anything from it but if you just want coffee you queue up there. It leaves the rest of the bar free to take other orders. It also means that if you just want a beer or food you�re not waiting for ever to get served because the staff aren�t all swamped by coffee orders. Now I have noticed a few problems with the system for example I noticed a man go to the bar and order some food and drinks including coffee and he was immediately shot some dirty looks from people waiting in the "coffee queue" simple because he got served before them. Actually they shoot everyone dirty looks because they can't grasp that coffee takes longer to prepare than any other drink and so they have to wait longer but also they fail to see how the system works and why its in place. Ok, the pub its self is big, the decor is nothing to shout about but is nice none the less. The back bar is quiet impressive though you'll see why when you visit. As its part of a huge shopping centre its very busy nearly 100% of the time even more so during school holidays. Finally food was good when we visited as too was the beer, so no complaints about this place from me.
3 Nov 2008 12:00
I have to agree with the comment below this place should be a runaway success and example of the good stuff wetherspoons can produce. But something isn't quite right, I would firstly point out that this one of the most expensive lloyds bars that I've visited. Most pints where nearing �3 which is pretty steep. Even though its big when you in there it actully feels small and cramped and I can't explain why. Service was slow on both bars when I visited but the bar down stairs should never have any less than 2 people serving becuase even when its only 1 deep that equates to about 20-30 customers, basically its a big bar. Its a nice place no doubt about but theres something I cant put my finger on.
25 Oct 2008 20:07
The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
So if you�ve read the previous comments you�ll have realised this is an INDIE BAR. Nails down a chalk board to some and a sheer utopia to others. Now my style is pretty boring and defiantly not indie in any way but I can easily enjoy what this venue has to offer. They sell a wide variety of drinks including the rare and outstanding desperados which I suggest you try when you go it�s impressive in every way. The music isn�t strictly indie all the time they play a good variety styles, the underground part of the place usually hosts live bands. The staff were very nice to talk too and look at (had to be said) if a bit slow. But its not 100% their fault, the bar is stupidly small even for the size of the venue and I don�t just mean in length, in depth too, they can barely move behind there. Yes it�s full of indie style folks but if that�s not your usual taste when it comes to the opposite sex trust me give it a go, you�ll get a nice surprise. Enough said.
Well I hope this gives a more level headed review of this place
16 Oct 2008 20:32
Firstly the facts. This is an award winning ale pub which is hugely popular and is busy most of the time. As said before it has many ale pumps with a screen to the right of the bar listing each ale and information such as colour, strength and price. The pub is quite small as too is the bar; they also have a cat which roams the pub at its pleasure.
Now my personal opinion of the place. Well the use of sparklers is polarised in the ale world and from what I can tell the Wellington don�t seem to use them, now use that information how you will but I personally prefer the use of sparklers so on that front I don�t rate the beer to be too great. Now that does not mean I haven�t enjoyed a pint in here, on the contra I�ve enjoyed many but I do like my beer to be poured with a sparkler. Ok that takes care of the controversial stuff.
Now on occasions when I�ve visited I too have noticed a funny smell to this place it often having a urine hint to it. My first thought was the cat has had an accident (I�m still unsure where the cat does its business) then I thought maybe the toilets but on my visit to them noticed they were in good working order so the source of the smell will remain a mystery. Considering the focus of the place the staff seem very uninterested and uneducated in the beer their selling. I�ve noticed a lot of customers asking about the beer and often being told to look at the screen or being answered with a shrug of the shoulders with some annoyance.
Yet I still enjoy visiting The Wellington because it has some excellent features including NO COFFEE and NO CHILDREN!!!
What more could you ask for?
16 Oct 2008 19:57
I never visited this place when it was O�Neill�s so I can't compare it on that front but as a Wetherspoons it�s very good. Quite a small place in my opinion with two bars but the one bar only seems to be manned in the evening but that�s understandable as it�s really quite during the day. It�s quite funny watching people go to the one bar only to realise that no ones serving there. In the evening it can get busy but I feel it hasn't reached its potential just yet. I think everyone was expecting a Lloyd�s bar to open here as it�s on the edge of the Arcadian but as it�s a Wetherspoons the lack of music is having an effect on its popularity. Rumour on the grape vine is that it will start to play music soon, whether that means a re-brand to a Lloyds Bar is another question. Beer quality is good on the draught front, ale wise they don�t really sell enough meaning that sometimes the beer can taste a bit dead because it�s sat in the line for so long. Food was good enough for the price. They do very little coffee here from what I can see which means you can actually go to bar a not be waiting forever while the PUB staff serve coffee. On that front alone it�s a winner!!
16 Oct 2008 19:14
The Bottle of Sack, Sutton Coldfield
I've been speaking to the bar staff recently about the plastic glasses on weekend nights, its thanks to the police and local council that they have to use them in the beer garden and not the choice of the management. So thats that cleared up.
3 Sep 2008 23:26
Been here a few times now and it�s a simple place so Ill keep the review simple. Firstly drinks, all very over priced in my opinion for what you get. Had some offers though which kind of made up for it, stay clear of the draught stuff put simply my Guinness had no head, need I say more. Bottles were nice and cold so aim for them when you visit. Service was ok, they never seem under staffed and you shouldn�t be waiting to long but as usual if you have breasts you'll get served quicker. Toilets are as good as you can expect on a Saturday night, again enough said. Plenty of space and seating, they have a balcony which over looks the canal and a "under ground" bit which basically mirrors the ground floor but its only ever open on really heavy nights, no big loss really. But when it is open this place literally doubles in size and it�s big as it is. Music is usually good and encourages people to get up and dance which is good for the atmosphere. The atmosphere generally is very good I personally haven�t seen a fight in here but I could just be lucky. Not a bad place for Broad Street, defiantly worth a visit.
3 Sep 2008 23:00
Very small wetherspoons located on the canal side surrounded by a business park aswell as many other bars and clubs. Merry Hill shopping centre is a 5 minute walk away where the Abraham Derby (very big and very busy wetherspoons) is located. I get the feeling this place was maybe built to take some of the pressure off the Abraham Derby but it doesnt seem to be working. The main reason is people won't bother walking to this place when theres a wetherspoons in Merry Hill.
Otherwise this is a nice little place which really comes alive on a hot sunny day as there is a big outside area and the bay windows are opened up letting lots of sun light into the pub. Usual wetherspoons benefits such as super chilled draft beer and reasonable food. Only 5 ale pumps but had a nice selection none the less.
Few things I noticed. Firstly the amount of tables is ridiculous, they've basically tried to cram as many tables in as possible which gives the place a cramped untidy look. Also this place was pretty dead when I went at 11:30am, I mean I was the only person in there. But when speaking to the bar staff they esured me that it gets busy at lunch time and quiting time thanks to the surrounding business park. They didnt mention the evening though.
If your ever shopping at Merry Hill and want to avoid the massive amount of people in the Abraham Derby have a walk to this place and enjoy a nice chilled pint on the canal front.
7 Aug 2008 19:39
Visited this place on a monday, now I know mondays are quiet in the pub world but christ this place was DEAD!!! The only souls in there were the barman and one customer sitting at the bar, this was at about 9:00pm ish. Now to be fair I knew this would be the case before I went as the cup has a very bad reputation. Its considered a chav magnet which is kind of welcomed in sutton because it keeps them out of the nice pubs that normal people go too. But recently its had a new manager and he/she has kicked all the chavs out meaning it now has no customers, how ironic. Rumors are about that its closing down but ive heard so many different stories now i dont know what to believe. Anyway the scars left by its history are still evident, the toilets have racist slogans scratched on all surfaces, there are metal guards around the pipe work suggesting that theyve been kicked in at some point, the toilet door has been kicked down and not repaired properly, out the toilets the pool cues are broken at the ends probably used in a fight, bar flys were everywhere enough to cause one to land in my mates pint. The beer was a mixed bag, the guinness i had was very nice!! but my mate had a lancaster bomber and it tasted of vinigar. To top it all this place is owned by Thwaites (at the moment) who also own the three tuns about 5min walk away which is like the chalk to the cups cheese. So where did it all go sooooo wrong compared to the very successful three tuns and more importantly why?? Well im too young to answer that question but someone must know.
If this place closes it wouldnt be missed, the chavs have gone else where (not quite sure where though), if another company buys it they would need to put some serious money into it to turn the nearly concrete reputation the cup has with locals. Sutton doesnt need another pub closing with the haha bar gone and the litten tree having a dark cloud hanging over its future suttons slowing loosing the great selection of establishments it once had. A once great Pub Golf Course is now turning into Pub Crazy Golf and not in a good way, a real shame.
18 Jun 2008 22:49
I go in here everytime I visit weston super mare, firstly i got to say this USED to be a real tom tit hole. The staff were rude, the customers were just as bad and the whole pub was covered in dust and falling apart.
On my last few visits something has changed whether it be a new manager or even the original manager having a epiphany but its become a very pleasant place to visit. The place is clean tidy and in good repair, instead of a load of dole receivers its now populated by people who are either retired or on a break not by people spending our taxes getting drunk everyday. Beer quality was good too, i personally enjoyed a lovely chilled pint of guinness and the ale drinkers seemed to be enjoying their particular choice of drink. The one real problem i saw is the same i see in every wetherspoons i visit now - the dragon inn is now a coffee shop. I think wetherspoons are really loosing the plot with this push on coffee sales and one day it maybe too late to reverse the effect.
But anyway the dragon is now a very pleasent place to enjoy a well kept tasty pint. Ill definatly be staying longer next time i visit weston.
30 May 2008 19:48
The Bottle of Sack, Sutton Coldfield
I've already commented on this pub but I would like to add a few things.
Using the sack recently has bought a few things to my attention. Firstly during the day this is a coffee house aswell as an OAP dinning room and not a pub, alot of the regulars have moved on because the bar service is sooooo slow. Not because the staff are slow but because of the ridiculus amount of coffee being ordered along with a coffee area that isn't big enough to handle the demand. Secondly there never seems to be enough staff on, now this hasn't meant slow service but you do get the sence that an extra person would make a difference. At night its a complete role reversal with a very young crowd now dominating the pub with a smattering of other age groups. The beer quality is pretty good - the ale selection is like the decor abit tired. They have four house ales pedigree, abbbot, greene king IPA and old empire which arnt bad but they've had this selection for a long time now, a change might be nice. They also have one or two guests on which get dwarfed by the amount of house ales which is a real shame. The stuck up memebers of sutton who have names for this place are not worth listening too, if you have a normal human persona you'll find little to dislike about the sack.
20 Apr 2008 13:06
I've visited this place a few times now and I'm still unsure on my opinions of it. Firstly it is full of people on the dole and 90% of the clientle are chavs who stare at you as you walk by, but if your like myself and don't let it bother you, you can enjoy yourself in here. The place really hasnt got alot going for it, its an impressive building which is let down by its decor and layout. There are tables blonked (techical term) everywhere and most of the time it looks like a socail club which you'd find in the middle of a housing estate. It appears that no thought has been put into the layout, the bar is just as bad and really needs ripping out and re-building simple as. I've found the beer quality to be pretty good and the staff, when i've been, are pretty good at contolling the customer levels at the bar. So to finish when I've been here I've never thought about leaving any sooner than I would do but it really does need a strong manager here to do abit of socail clensing and gets some order with the tables and bar.
20 Apr 2008 12:39
I've already commented on this pub but I've been going in alot more recently and would like to add a few points.
Firstly the beer quality is as good as ever, fact! I've been trying the different guest ales they have each week and they're always spot on. The clientele are abit up their own but you just got to ignore them, simple! The pub still looks as good and is as full of character as ever.
The few things I would say that let this place down are the staff and the price of the drinks which are to be fair, ridiculous. You could argue that the beer is good enough to justify it or that it keeps the chavs away but I disagree. I won't quote prices but things like spirits and soft drinks such as the generic brands don't need to cost nearly double what they do else where. Now the staff, some of them are really friendly and quick to serve you. But the rest 90% of the time are very obnoxious and just as much up their own as the clientele. And its true you will find you self being served out of turn alot if there are friends of the bar staff in drinking. The landlord/manager doesn't really help the situation either and can often be seen floating round the pub being just as obnoxious as the staff, but he is brilliant on quiz nights it has to be said!!
Ok, there it is. At the end of it if you just go in here enjoy the excellent beer and the company of friends the faults can be over looked.
21 Mar 2008 21:26
I got to say this place is slowly growing on me. It used to be a real dive but since they had a small refurb a while back its really turned around.
As said before you have to go down some stairs to get in becuase its under ground, which means during the day its not the best place to go to if you want sit in the sunlight. And to be honest this place is pretty empty during the day. At night though it gets really busy not so much during the week but the weekend you could be queing up outside for a good 30mins. The service is slow in my opinion even when its quiet. And the staff don't have any real drive in them but being a barman myself I can undertsand why. The beer is pretty good it has to be said, the guinness is really good I've had several guinness reds in here and never had a bad pint. Prices are ok for Sutton can't really complain there, one thing, at the weekend its over 21 only but the doorman are pretty relaxed with it.
So if you want a good night out give this place a go, if you want to go for a quite few with who ever go during the week.
6 Jan 2008 19:33
I always hated this place simply because there never seemed to be much point to it exsisting. Its a tiny, badly located (in my opinion) hole in the wall, literally. But I went in the other day as it was part of our little crawl, well I was put to shame. Its had a small refurb recently along with the large unit its part of and it looks really good. Leather chairs, better lighting, new cooling system for the draught beer and the whole place kinda takes advantage of its size and it feels abit more intimate.
So if your opinions we're like mine originally give it a chance you'll be impressed.
8 Dec 2007 20:26
On my visit to Leicester I was on the look out for The Corn Exchange. It wasn't difficult, the building is huge and slap bang in the middle of the town centre. As I entered walking under an randomly placed bridge the first thing that hit me was how dark it is in there. Especially upstairs where I sat.
The bar upstairs is small but stretches outward giving the bar staff plenty of work space for quite a small serving area. Theres plenty of seating upstairs and in my opinion it was negeleted by the customers. Down stairs the bar is like an island and is very big. Theres lots of seating including sofas, its a very comfatable place.
As I said it is very dark because they've painted all the walls a very dark purple and the only real lighting comes from neon lights, but i can say this gives a great atmosphere at night. I noticed there wasn't a DJ booth but music was playing at midday which is unusual for Lloyds Bars as wetherspoons seem to be trying to make all the Lloyds bars more like wetherspoon pubs, this was great because it wasn't loud and it gave a nice back ground noise.
I really liked this place, it had a great layout and buzzing atmosphere. As its a Lloyds it had the great selection of drinks and good cheap food I've come to expect from the Wetherspoons brand. Put this on your list of pubs/bars to visit for your next trip to Leicester you won't be disapointed.
23 Jul 2007 21:39
This place has been here for years. My dad who is 63 used to drink here when he was my age (20). Its very rustic (lack of a better word) the staff wear their own cloths but amazingly don't look scruffy, the place is very clean but basic in looks.
They have a model train which goes round the edge of the ceiling, very unique. Not as much seating as needed even when its not busy you could find yourself having to stand. But the outside area is the real selling point for the Station, its big yet intimate. The beer is in good condition and they sell Fruli (a Belgian strawberry lager) on draft which is sooooo rare, they also have a modest selection of ales. Food is excellent and reasonably priced but in my opinion not really like pub food.
The Station also hosts many live events such as bands and a few famous comedians who's names I can't remember. This place caters for everyone yet I don't see many families in here (which some people will be glad of). Definatly give this place a go next time your in Sutton Coldfield you won't be disapointed.
25 Jun 2007 16:20
I wouldn't say that The Bishops Vesey is better than The Bottle of Sack, just different. The Bishops Vesey is more focused on evening dining and ale drinking as they have an excellent selection. Where as the The Bottle of Sack (being a Lloyds No1 Bar) has a younger more lively atmosphere, lunch is the busy food time for The Bottle of Sack rather than the evening.
The Bishops Vesey has typical wetherspoons decoration but with some great features, for example it has a fire place which is lit when necessary and some of the seating surrounding the fire is like what you would find in a country house. As said before there is a greater focus on food here the cod is hand battered and more effort is generally put into the cooking and serving than found in most wetherspoons.
Since it when non-smoking this place has really turned around, I would recommend it for family dinning or a drink with friends.
25 Jun 2007 16:00
This used to be the perfect example of a excellent Lloyds No1. It had loads of comfy sofas, had a very laid back atmosphere and was the best pre-club bar to go too. During the day it used to get busy with people from offices coming in for lunch, music used to play from midday. At night the volume gets turned up for the party atmosphere.
But now because wetherspoons have changed their policies this place is more like a wetherspoon pub than a trendy Lloyds No1 bar. All but a few of the sofas have gone, music is turned on at around 7 o'clock in the eveing and lunch times are dead. Its a real shame that wetherspoons felt they needed to make its two brands more similar than different. I've noticed this accross the wetherspoon lloyds range.
Moaning over this place still attracts at night and is still a great place to go too. The ground floor is huge with plenty of seating and a reasonable dance floor, the bar is quite big with service being quick. Its equiped with Sky and sport is shown on some (not all) of the screen so its not invaded by sports fans. The upstairs floor is slightly smaller with its own bar and theres a great view onto Broad Street. Upstairs seems to have a more intimate atmosphere but really it isn't any quieter.
This place has lost its charm in a way, but is still great, highly recommended.
24 Jun 2007 22:54
This used to be the perfect example of a excellent Lloyds No1. It had loads of comfy sofas, had a very laid back atmosphere and was the best pre-club bar to go too. During the day it used to get busy with people from offices coming in for lunch, music used to play from midday. At night the volume gets turned up for the party atmosphere.
But now because wetherspoons have changed their policies this place is more like a wetherspoon pub than a trendy Lloyds No1 bar. All but a few of the sofas have gone, music is turned on at around 7 o'clock in the eveing and lunch times are dead. Its a real shame that wetherspoons felt they needed to make its two brands more similar than different. I've noticed this accross the wetherspoon lloyds range.
Moaning over this place still attracts at night and is still a great place to go too. The ground floor is huge with plenty of seating and a reasonable dance floor, the bar is quite big with service being quick. Its equiped with Sky and sport is shown on some (not all) of the screen so its not invaded by sports fans. The upstairs floor is slightly smaller with its own bar and theres a great view onto Broad Street. Upstairs seems to have a more intimate atmosphere but really it isn't any quieter.
This place has lost its charm in a way, but is still great, highly recommended.
24 Jun 2007 22:52
One of wetherspoons better examples quite simply. Has a very attractive art-deco style with particular attention to the bar. As said before is very popular with students and business personel alike.
But it has its problems, many a lunch time I've been in to find tables covered in plates and glasses, one person serving on a packed bar, one person on floor and to my amazment not a manager in sight. Its quite unusual. At night though its the reversal, plenty of staff, floor spotless, at least one manager visible and its when this place is at its best.
Plenty of choice for the ale fans and a good selection of original guest draft lagers not just 1664 Blanc. Last time I went in they had Amstel, a german beer I can't spell and Bud. Its popular but not overcrowed, never any doorman because their not needed. Its non-smoking which seemed to be the turning point for this place.
A definate choice for your next trip to Birmingham, give lunch time a try but be prepared evening is the best time for this place.
24 Jun 2007 20:56
Used to have the longest bar in Europe, I believe thats changed hands now. This place gets alot of bad press but I find it quite a good place. I think the basic problem is (as with most spoons) the shortage of staff.
It used to be very busy and because the bars so long and there are so few staff customers do get annouyed from waiting. Its a typical wetherspoons problem of not enough staff period. The Briar Rose near by has the same problem and it comes from area managers trying to meet targets.
Its a large place, at one end is the smoking area which is quite small, the rest of it is dedicated to non-smokers. Even though the bar is huge I find it easy to get served, just stand in front of a till is my tip, plus its alot quieter now (i don't know why).
I would say a place to have a drink with mates either during the day or before hitting the clubs, I personally would take my family there just doesn't seem like a family place to me. But thats just me.
24 Jun 2007 20:38
The Boot Inn, Sutton Coldfield
The Boot has a had a huge refurb, the bar has been extended, the screens have been re-aranged, tables and chairs have been replaced, the car park made bigger, the front patio (lack of a better word) is being built a should look good, those awful projectors have been taken down, windows have been replaced and the whole place has had some TLC given to it.
From what I hear its been bought by to blokes so its a privite establishment now. It used to be owned by spirit group I think.
Anyway its now a very nice place!
22 Jun 2007 11:55
The Litten Tree, Sutton Coldfield
This place amaze's me, its got such a nice decor with plenty of comfy sofas and seats, plenty of screens if your into sport and a pretty good DJ friday nad saturday nights. Plus it has table service during the day. The staff are very friendly too always up for a chat and try to make you feel welcome.
Yet its considered one of the worst places in Sutton. Mainly because it has no atmosphere (because no one goes in there, during the day you can walk in and it'll be empty where as the spoons accross the road is packed), there is on many occasions a police van outside on a friday/saturday night. But from what I can see there are more chavs in the spoons (even though theres only about 5 of them in there) than in the litten tree. So why is it considered to be so bad? Maybe its something they put in the beer? Your guess is as good as mine.
22 Jun 2007 11:24
The Bottle of Sack, Sutton Coldfield
Easily Suttons buisest pub, became a lloyds no1 in november last year when the new licening laws came into effect.
It is generally a nice place with good food, good beer and decent customers. But like with all spoons it does have its share of crap, the occasional chav but mostly its middle aged men that should be at work. Otherwise the pub has a very lively but peaceful (no fights) atmosphere. The decor is pretty crap considering its a lloyds.
Overall not a bad place, one of the better wetherspoons.
22 Jun 2007 11:12
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Acorn Inn, Lichfield
Another enjoyable visit to The Acorn. I always make the effort to go when I'm in Lichfield and this time I had the bonus of the beer festival. They had a good selection on I personally enjoyed a pint of Spinning Dog Brass in Pocket (nice name) and Cains Fine Raisin Beer. Both very good. It was a saturday early afternoon and it was busy, could have done with a few more staff on as the wait at the bar was quite a long one. It didnt help that my good friends the coffee drinkers were out in force, I now realise why theres only one coffee shop in Lichfield because they all go to the pub to have their coffee fix. Otherwise nice pub, nice beer, nice atmosphere.
15 Nov 2009 18:25