The Peg & Grill, Birmingham

Visited last Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and really liked it. Very traditional pub with great characters and the manager, Mark, is very knowledgeable in sharing our interest in real ales. Davenports IPA particularly good. Also the pub is kept spotlessly clean.

Another fantastic Victorian exterior. Several small interior rooms. Visited on Saturday, when it was hot and the bar was filled with locals in various stages of intoxication, watching two local teams, as you would have thought from the squealing, Everton and Chelsea, fighting for the FA Cup. Maybe they thought Birmingham City were playing, as one team was in blue. It was much better to go into the quiet lounge, where we were all alone, as the TV was in the bar. The lounge was nicely done out, great fireplace and Chesterfield styled leather seating. Beer on offer wasnt too bad. Davenports Bitter and Spring Fever, as well as Highgate MILD - which is what i had. I thought it was fine, JB was less sure. I would come back; it was just a bad time for miserable people like us to go. One has to worry though, as it is close to the fake-tan mile, if the chavs would be out in force after dark, congregating to cross Broad St, like wildebeest at the Mara River.