The Rose & Crown, Birmingham

Modest suburban boozer, with a band warming up as I entered despite the main bar being dominated by two large sports TV screens casting a curious light over proceedings (fortunately soon turned off). Also has a side room with a pool table. Unfortunately, the solitary handpump with a Doom Bar clip was off, so went for the keg M&B Mild (£1.30, half). Despite the disappointing beer, the five-piece blues band turned out to be very proficient so I quite enjoyed my brief sojourn here.

This is a detached 1930s building, that replaced a pub of the same name across the road, during the housing expansion at that time. There are a few benches outside. The two-storey pub is in brick and cream render, and has projecting wings to a small central entrance area. The interior has a couple of rooms, although i only saw the L-shaped bar. This room was in cream and chocolate half walls, with a red tile floor. There was a nice open fire to warm the place and some old photographs of the area were on the walls. There was a TV, which had the footy on and the music was general and mixed. Apparently, they have an open mic night on a Wednesday. The service was fine and the place frequented by locals, and i had a really good chat to one old Irish chap that made the visit worth-while in itself. Beer; no real ale and no MILD, so i ended-up with half a Guinness, which was as decent as it is. Really enjoyed the stop-off in a nice locals pub, but sadly, nothing for the real ale fan.

under new management this pub now offers a warm freindly atmosphere with live music on Thursdays and most saturdays karaoke on fridays with a real fire in the bar area for those chilly nights, children welcome till 9 pm and dogs welcome in the bar area