The Hearsall Inn, Chapel Fields, Coventry

Another surprise from the GBG - taking me into Cov's Irish quarter, with at least one other Irish pub down the street. Absolutely pack on a Saturday afternoon - with a sports room full of fans of sport. The front bar was slightly quieter but the only seat was a stool by the bar, where I managed to squeeze into the corner to not bar block. Famed for their Guinness, the Bass was none too shabby either. And of course, Tayto crips. Friendly staff.

This is a very solid back-street pub. Plenty of Guinness branding decorating the exterior including the impressive clock mural on the end wall, and I believe it is Irish run, but inside you just get the impression of a solid locals pub. As mentioned below there are four ale pumps on the bar, usually three in operation, with Bass as a permanent fixture and two rotating local ales. For our visits these were Church End Brewery A Gulp of Mexico and Byatt’s Brewery Colombo. Between us we tried both of these and they were well kept. With the nearby Nursery Tavern now under Black Country Ales stewardship it’s well worth the short bus ride from the City centre to visit these two.