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Detail Pages
The Navigation Inn, Solihull
Lapworth
Postal town: Solihull
B94 6NA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Navigation Inn
Perfectly functional canalside pub. Post work crowd a mixture of blue and white collar workers - with plenty of diners coming in.
There is a good drinking bar with a real wood burning stove that I bet is lovely in the winter. Beer wise - a good choice - Brew XI, Mad Goose Purity and I couldn't ignore a perfect pint of Timothy Taylor Landlord.
On 24th August 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1345 recommendations about 1331 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about The Navigation Inn
A pleasant canalside pub, one of those that's better out than in. This is one of the richest areas of the Midlands, you don't hear many Brummie accents apart from the odd retired bank robber, so as you would expect most of the pub is given over to eating the expensive and pretentious ("heritage tomatoes" ffs) menu. There does remain a public bar, dispensing Landlord and top notch Mad Goose.
The terrace and garden are lovely, weeping willows give shade as you watch the narrowboats go by. Enjoy on a sunny afternoon.
On 22nd August 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Navigation Inn
A recently refurbished, traditional, canal side pub.
The front entrance takes you into the stone-floored and comfortable bar area. This feels like the room where the locals gather and several chatty punters were perched on stools by the bar bantering good naturedly with the attractive barmaids.
There are also rooms to the side and rear which were popular early on in the evening with those eating.
The refurbishment has seen a lot of settles used which is a very efficient use of space but some of them are simply too uncomfortable to sit on for any length of time.
The menu is largely pub grub but with one or two unusual choices. The fish and chips chosen elsewhere looked very good but a salad consisting entirely of raw peppers suggests some execution issues. A subtle note on the menu says that all food is home cooked so any mistakes are at least home made.
Beers on we're Wadworths 6X, TT Landlord, Byatt's Lapworth Gold and a very good Purity Mad Goose. When they had time the bar staff served us at the table which was a nice touch.
Decent beer and the retaining of a genuine pub atmosphere make The Navigation well worth a visit.
On 16th June 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Navigation Inn
A revisit after several years ,and the pub has benefitted from considerable investment .The flag stoned tap room (called Lounge ) is still there with a large wood burner fireplace but the decor is now more modern , upbeat and cared for although you will have to put up with tea lights at every table and gentle muzak .The side room has fitted benches and a large round table in the bay window and another fireplace while the lower restaurant looks smart and has it's own access to the island bar by the door to the considerable beer garden alongside the Grand Union Canal.There is also a covered patio outside if the weather is less clement.
There is a happy hour between 4 and 6pm,which clearly brings in the local punters and builders,and there was a friendly ,lively atmophere all evening topped off by very friendly,chatty service from the attractive barmaids.There was a lot of friendly banter from both sides of the bar.Real ale was well catered for with TT Landlord,6X,Byatt's Lapworth Gold (probably rebadged Phoenix Gold) and a very good Purity Mad Goose which was hard to put down.Beware a handpump clipped with Guiness,it's just attached to a keg tap.
The shortish food menu looked good ,but several interesting dishes on the blackboard were not available on my trip (why not rub out the entry ? )and the pricing was a bit high for essentially pub grub with most mains around £15 and starters at £6.Parts of my meal were good ,but some elements were poorly executed so I will deduct a point for that.You can eat anywhere inside the pub,and most car and boat borne customers were tucking in.
This is a real pub with a good atmosphere and better real ale than I was expecting,shame the poor kitchen execution impacted on an otherwise fine evenings drinking.
On 12th June 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2737 recommendations about 2737 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Navigation Inn
This has got the potential to be a fantastic pub with it’s traditional interior and picturesque canal side setting. Unfortunately though, on a recent visit it didn’t quite live up to expectations. There were no real ales on and the loos are clearly in need of some TLC – there was no soap in the ladies, no hot tap in the gents, and the windows were wedged open with knives as the handles had broken.
It’s a pleasant looking pub from the outside with visible timbering, and the olde worlde theme continues inside. The main bar has enormous flagstones on the floor, and wood panelling on the lower part of the walls with whitewashed brickwork above. There was a fireplace at one end with an unusual curved brick chimney. A very large pike (maybe, I’m not a fish expert) was mounted in a glass case above the fireplace. Adjoining this was a slightly smaller bar again with a fireplace and wood flooring. We didn’t try the food on this occasion, but there was a decent looking menu chalked up on a board.
At the rear is what looks like a restaurant area, although this wasn’t in use on our visit, which seemed odd as it was a Sunday lunchtime. The main draw for many people will be the large canal side garden at the rear of the pub which also has attractive flower boarders. The canal runs immediately next to the pub, so offers a great view of the narrow boats going past, and if you’re on a boat yourself there is a convenient gate leading directly in to the garden. There is also a patio area with an unusual straw roof covering.
Despite four hand pumps on the bar, unfortunately none of these were in use. The chalkboard listed Holdens and Timothy Taylor Landlord, but it would seem that both of these had run out (along with the San Miguel, which Mrs B. Was none too pleased about). To make matters worse, the only cider on offer was Strongbow.
On 15th August 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1951 recommendations about 1864 pubs]