The Flute & Flagon, Solihull

Knowing that there is a ‘spoons at this end of the high street I came across a set of tables with several punters enjoying a beer in the mid day sunshine and walked through them and into the pub. Walked up the bar and thought “that’s a very pedestrian line up for a spoons and no trilogy of doom. “ also the decor doesn’t look like a. ‘Spoons either. It wasn’t until I walked back outside with my half of Wadsworth’s Horizon that I realised that I wasn’t in a ‘spoons. Bloody confusing to the uninitiated to have two similar looking pubs directly next door to each other and actually joined at the hip via the outside seating areas. Well it fooled an idiot like me. This particular shop conversion has some nice booth seating down one side and I would’ve said probably the more comfortable pub of the two. However that is negated by the screens and especially a massive one on the side wall that makes it difficult to sit anywhere not looking at one. Six hand pumps on the bar with five operational for my visit with mainly regional brews including Thwaites Wainwright‘s and Shep Neam Spitfire Gold for example.

In direct competition with the Spoon's next door, the Flute is also open early with a few drinkers in at 9am. 5 ales on offer including Dancing Duck dark Drake, JHB, Bolt maker, Pedigree and Silhill Try Star (Actually blonde star but rebadged for the Six Nations). The Silhill was fine. Also 2 Lily's ciders. Worth a visit.

Refurbished Stonegate pub next door to a 'spoons so needs to complete on price, drinks range and food offer. Similar in many ways to its neighbour, including decor and both indoor and outdoor seating, but it doesn't quite pull it off in any of these aspects. Still, it did have five of six handpumps in operation, with Pedigree (both regular and New World), Silhill Gold Star and Sadler's JPA (£2.45) plus a cider on offer.

Official site of The Flute & Flagon - www.fluteandflagonsolihull.co.uk

Official site of The Flute & Flagon - www.fluteandflagonsolihull.co.uk