The VillaTalk Good Pub Guide

[sidcow]

2 hours ago, Seat68 said:

Found a pub the other night, great place. Great beer, called the sly old fox. The only issue was all night, and I mean literally all night, the juke box kept playing Male Stripper by Man 2 Man Meets Man Parrish. 

If you search these pages hard enough you would find a story which would have made you type that with Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You by Glenn Medeiros as the tune instead. 

[sidcow]

9 hours ago, luckyeddie said:

This. The bitter drinkers in the pub I worked in could tell uncleaned pipes a mile off. Also they would use the same glass all night, as it tasted better after a couple of pints.

Oh god. This reminds me exactly why I've never joined CAMRA. 

[sidcow]

14 minutes ago, sidcow said:

If you search these pages hard enough you would find a story which would have made you type that with Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You by Glenn Medeiros as the tune instead. 

FOUND IT:

 

I have a tale to tell. 

I have no recollection why but in the late 80's when I was about 18/19 me and my mate found ourselves in The Great Oak in Selly Oak one midweek late afternoon.  This was before Wetherspoons remember so the only other people in the pub were rough looking borderline alcoholic residents who pretty much gave us the evil stares from the moment we walked through the door. 

My mate decides he wants some music on the jukebox so goes over and sticks a quid in for 10 selections. His first song comes on and I am stunned to hear Nothings Going To Change My Love For You by Glen Mederios blaring over the speakers. Cue even more evil eyes and mutterings about the gay boys from the regulars whilst my mate visibly red of face has to stand at the jukebox of shame making his further 9 selections. 

When he gets back I give him the what the **** was that all about. He surmises he must has put the wrong number in the box. . 

I can't remember now what it was he actually wanted to listen to but he was pissed off he didn't hear it so when his selections had finished he went back up with another quid determined to put the right number in this time....... As he is stood there with another 9 selections to make on comes Nothings Going To Change My Love For You,  it was labeled with the wrong number. . I nearly died and probably could have as the atmosphere in the room was palpable.  We made a swift exit! 

Edited November 26, 2023 by sidcow

[luckyeddie]

1 hour ago, sidcow said:

Oh god. This reminds me exactly why I've never joined CAMRA. 

This was definitely not CAMRA, just a local pub in an ex mining village. We could have hooked up the lager pipes to the urinals and nobody would have noticed.

[Xela]

This was what I was like yesterday

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, luckyeddie said:

This was definitely not CAMRA, just a local pub in an ex mining village. We could have hooked up the lager pipes to the urinals and nobody would have noticed.

I know. It's just people who are that stupidly forensic about beer would do my head in. I like beer but it's just not for me. 

[Xela]

Was back in the Wellington yesterday, and had a good few pints. Managed to nab a table, which was a stroke of luck as it was rammed. Love the place. 

Few more in The Colmore later on, after we had a curry. 

Good to see the pubs bustling, and a good atmosphere in town. 

[Xela]

Mentioned before, but this place:

12 cask ales, traditional decor, patterned carpets and colourful characters in there. Just what you want in a boozer. 

Back of the ICC if anyone isn't sure.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Xela

[sidcow]

2 hours ago, Xela said:

Mentioned before, but this place:

12 cask ales, traditional decor, patterned carpets and colourful characters in there. Just what you want in a boozer. 

Back of the ICC if anyone isn't sure.

Arranged a Pub Crawl after work a couple of months ago. That was the first pub. 

It absolutely pissed down outside, quite a few people cancelled,we'd got a whole corner to ourselves all seated so we just stayed there all night and didn't bother moving on. 

[Xela]

5 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Arranged a Pub Crawl after work a couple of months ago. That was the first pub. 

It absolutely pissed down outside, quite a few people cancelled,we'd got a whole corner to ourselves all seated so we just stayed there all night and didn't bother moving on. 

We nabbed a corner, the far corner to the left of the bogs, as was empty when we got there at 4pm. Couple of hours later it was standing room only! Must have been something on at the NIA/Symphony Hall

[sidcow]

2 minutes ago, Xela said:

We nabbed a corner, the far corner to the left of the bogs, as was empty when we got there at 4pm. Couple of hours later it was standing room only! Must have been something on at the NIA/Symphony Hall

Hah. That's where we were. The very back corner. 

[Xela]

7 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Hah. That's where we were. The very back corner. 

Now to be known as the VT Corner, where forum 'legends'  sup their ale, while discussing the hot topics of the day. Like the founders of Villa, meeting us a gas lamp, or the members of the Lunar Society in the Georgian era. 

[Mark Albrighton]

Can’t say I’m a big fan of Black Country Ale pubs. Don’t think I’ve been in one where I’ve left feeling like I must return to it.

There’s a pub by me which was taken over by them a couple of years ago. On first appearance it looks like they’ve made it better. It looks nicer than it did before. More traditional. 

However the atmosphere has completely gone. I just won’t go there now, it’s so lifeless. Before it was kinda shabby and a bit ramshackle. But it did have a bit of character. It had two rooms a quieter lounge and the livelier bar area. You’d be in the bar, the door would open and there would be a curious anticipation to see who walks through and how the night might play out. 

It’s all one room now, all the same furnishings, all the same lighting, every spot has the same (dead) atmosphere. It’s all too uniform, almost corporate(y). Like a hotel bar which has held a midweek networking evening. 

[sidcow]

15 minutes ago, Xela said:

Now to be known as the VT Corner, where forum 'legends'  sup their ale, while discussing the hot topics of the day. Like the founders of Villa, meeting us a gas lamp, or the members of the Lunar Society in the Georgian era. 

And the only pissing allowed in the toilets via the leg of your shorts (to be worn all year round with no socks). Wiping is not allowed. 

[Lichfield Dean]

Just been to Leviathan brewery in Sutton. Had a great time but it was sadly quiet. I've been there and had great times before when it's been bustling but tonight was extremely quiet.

Shame, it's the only place in Sutton like it. A brewery with a tap room that plays rock music, it's great. I guess being on an industrial estate means they don't get any passing trade.

[Xela]

5 minutes ago, Lichfield Dean said:

Just been to Leviathan brewery in Sutton. Had a great time but it was sadly quiet. I've been there and had great times before when it's been bustling but tonight was extremely quiet.

Shame, it's the only place in Sutton like it. A brewery with a tap room that plays rock music, it's great. I guess being on an industrial estate means they don't get any passing trade.

That's a shame, I do like Leviathan. Usually have a great selection. Haven't been for a few months, so I'm part of the problem!

We're meant to be heading there pre Xmas.. or maybe the Trinity Brew Co taproom, in Lichfield. 

[Lichfield Dean]

23 minutes ago, Xela said:

That's a shame, I do like Leviathan. Usually have a great selection. Haven't been for a few months, so I'm part of the problem!

We're meant to be heading there pre Xmas.. or maybe the Trinity Brew Co taproom, in Lichfield. 

Yeah, they didn't have quite so many beers on tonight either. I was hoping for a Voodoo People but it never seemed to emerge from behind the scenes despite suggestions that it would. 

Having said that, still had a great night there. They played some Ghost so I was happy

[Xela]

On 08/12/2023 at 22:35, Mark Albrighton said:

Can’t say I’m a big fan of Black Country Ale pubs. Don’t think I’ve been in one where I’ve left feeling like I must return to it.

There’s a pub by me which was taken over by them a couple of years ago. On first appearance it looks like they’ve made it better. It looks nicer than it did before. More traditional. 

However the atmosphere has completely gone. I just won’t go there now, it’s so lifeless. Before it was kinda shabby and a bit ramshackle. But it did have a bit of character. It had two rooms a quieter lounge and the livelier bar area. You’d be in the bar, the door would open and there would be a curious anticipation to see who walks through and how the night might play out. 

It’s all one room now, all the same furnishings, all the same lighting, every spot has the same (dead) atmosphere. It’s all too uniform, almost corporate(y). Like a hotel bar which has held a midweek networking evening. 

I guess it will always come down to the audience in there. The three Black Country Ale pubs I've been in multiple times, The PoW, The Wellington, and The Craven Arms, have all had a very good atmosphere. But that may be down to being in a city centre. There was some cracking music playing in the PoW the other night... Roxy Music, T-Rex, Bowie, etc. The Wellington doesn't play music, so I guess there is no uniform policy in the pubs set out by the Brewery. 

[Mark Albrighton]

18 minutes ago, Xela said:

I guess it will always come down to the audience in there. The three Black Country Ale pubs I've been in multiple times, The PoW, The Wellington, and The Craven Arms, have all had a very good atmosphere. But that may be down to being in a city centre. There was some cracking music playing in the PoW the other night... Roxy Music, T-Rex, Bowie, etc. The Wellington doesn't play music, so I guess there is no uniform policy in the pubs set out by the Brewery. 

Yeah, the Wellington I’ve only visited once and I remembered thinking it was a bit more vibrant, a bit more life. City centre location will help as you say.

The Jewellers Arms is one of theirs. I’ll go in and have a drink on my way somewhere else, but it’s very much a stop gap pub. I’d rather be in the Rose Villa.

Just a number of them I have visited (either knowing in advance it was one of theirs or finding out on arrival) have an old man pub on a Sunday night vibe. Which, hey, people might like. They have plenty of pubs so they must be doing something right. 

A lot of my dislike is based on the changes they made to my local, which did need work, but I’d have done it differently.

[blandy]

On 25/11/2023 at 22:16, Xela said:

There is only so many Blancmange songs you can put on.

There’s a ceiling, isn’t there.