Crystal Fountain, Cannock

We made a special effort to schlep out to this *** CAMRA Inventory pub which is 15 mins away from the town centre. It’s an inter-war pub that looks like it was built to serve a main road that never arrived. The main bar has some old fittings (the bar back and doors, mainly) and two old U shape banquettes which were in need of repair, as was the gent’s toilet which had the seat detached and perched against the wall. The other room was empty. The interior décor is pretty bland otherwise. Very local, with a few of the younger crowd from the nearby estate in watching the football. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s a dive but it certainly isn’t in the rudest of health – if BCA couldn’t make a go of it, that gives you an idea. No cask, so a keg M&B Mild to tide me over. Unless you go big on the style, I wouldn’t recommend shortening your drinking time at the Newhall to do the 30 minute round trip.

I was surprised to find the Crystal Fountain open and also surprised to find out it used to be a decent pub. It is now an absolute dive, with no real ale or cider. Covid rules are out of the window here, with not one single customer seated. Keg options I could see were Carling, Carling Black Fruit, M & B Mild, Thatcher's Gold, Coors Light, Stella Artois, Guinness & Worthington's. Poor and not worth the trip out of town.

I have to say I was disappointed with this pub. I don't see it being part of the Black Country Ales chain much longer as they didn't even have the usual 3 BCA beers on. Only Doom Bar and Thistly Cross cider alongside the usual lagers. There are still BCA posters up around the place but the freehold is for sale. There were only 2 other customers. The service was friendly enough but a real ale pub with no ale is a bit like a broken pencil - pointless! I don't know what the future holds for it but I don't expect to call again.