The Vine, Birmingham

Old-school corner local, entered via a small lounge area with traditional furniture and decor. Public bar area with the pool table holding pride of place in front of the counter. Further seating area beyond. Basic menu. Beer garden advertised. Just one of the four handpumps was operational, but this dispensed a reasonable pint of Spitfire (£3.00).

This is a detached Victorian pub, with beer garden area. It has a brick upper, with a black lower frontage that has an pilastered and entablatured entrance (and old entrances) and large, rounded windows. The interior is effectively one long room, which is in cream and wood panel, with a white ceiling. The first part has patterned bench seats, the middle part has a pool table and a tiled fireplace, which is all that remains of the once dividing wall, and the top area, up a step, has more seating. There are several TVs, including a pull-down facility - although only one was on, showing a soap. The music was mixed and at a decent level. There is a basic food menu - hot dogs and burgers etc. The walls have lots of old local photos - several of the pub itself, and bits of ephemera - from railway signs to pots, plates and trophies - are dotted about. The services was fine and the clientele consisted of a few mature locals. Beer; usual tap stuff with M&B MILD, along with Two Tower's Baskerville Bitter on handpull - which was solid enough. A nice example of a back street locals pub, and one I would visit again.

A nice Brummie boozer near Five Ways and off Broad Street. Rather traditional, it has been opened up into (almost) one room. The first area is comfortable, then there is a 'bar' area with a pool table and some stool seating, then there is another more comfortable area at the end, up a step. Football friendly, there is a sporting theme here. Though there are some nice pictures of Old Birmingham on the walls. There is a limited but cheap menu. One real ale - it was Beaconshire Beacon Country Ale on my visit, though this was a little warm for me & could have been better kept.

Excellent pub for Guinness. Nice facilities and reasonable prices.