Mount Pleasant (The Stump), Sedgley, Dudley

I must have gone past this pub on the bus dozens of times but this was my only visit to this GBG regular. The reason for this is that apart from Sunday it doesn't open until 18:30 or 19:00 and even on the afternoon of that day it's 12:00-15:00! As noted below, it has two separate bars front and back that are linked by a corridor to the right. It was busy on a Thursday evening but not rammed with the rear bar looking the busier of the two bars. I found a seat in the front bar which is a single roughly square room that is largely carpeted and includes a dart board. There was no music and I could see no evidence of TVs which is a big plus point. There appeared to be eight beers available that included two each from Salopian & Enville, Holden's Golden Glow, Kelham Island Drinking In The Air, Oakham Citra and Old Swan Bumblehole. I ended up with two Drinking In the Air (£3.20) as a fresh Salopian was about to come on which was Limerence (£3.30). Both were first class. The biggest problem with this one is the poor opening hours, however, it does serve some great beers at very reasonable prices and if you live in the area you won't be put off by the limited opening hours. It gets a strong 8.

Our trip round had us late enough to include this 2012 Good Beer Guide pub in our Black Country itinary and there was a choice of more established ales here. We had Holdens Special Bitter and RCH Double Header, both in good condition. Easily reached by bus. Two rooms one in the front, then down a corridor to another at the rear. The back room was full when we called, so we enjoyed the quieter front room.

This was my first visit to this pub, partly because it doesn’t open until 6.30pm on a Friday. Perhaps a classic case of not judging a book by its cover. Despite looking small and dark from the outside it’s actually a decent size, going back a long way, and it’s lit well enough. The ale choice offered something different in the form of Derby Quint Essential, Crannog Beyond the Pale, Ossett Excelsior, Old Swan Bumblehole, Fallen Angel, Enville Ginger, Salopian Hop Twister and Oakham Bishops Farewell. I liked it and would happily return.

This is a brilliant real ale pub which is a privately owned free house, the building dates from around 1835 and is predominantly red brick but a mock Tudor half timber façade with double gable ends and leaded windows has been added at some point. The interior has two rooms, a public bar at the front and a lounge at the back, these are accessed by a long corridor down the right hand side of the building and the two rooms are divided by a double sided bar counter. The public bar has the bar counter with stained glass above at the back of the room, a brick fire place with cast grate and large branded mirror above is in the left wall, dark wood beams and central pillars, dart board on small back left patch of wall next to the counter, red fabric bench seats, medieval style tapestries, prints and a musket on the walls. Further down the corridor is the entrance to the lounge, this has the counter across the front wall (backing on to the front bar) and a partial dividing wall between two levels, red fabric bench seats and timber beams, in the dividing wall opposite the counter is a coal burning stove, a second stove is in the very back wall of the room, on the wall next to this is a framed history and old plan of the pub. At the end of the corridor is a door that leads out to a patio with a couple of picnic tables. Regular ales are currently RCH Stumpy (house bitter) and Oakham Bishops Farewell with up to six changing guest beers, on this visit they were Millstone True Grit, RCH Double Header, Holden’s Special, Olde Swan Bumble Hole, Saltaire Cascade Pale Ale and Enville Ginger (GBG 2012). I sampled the Stumpy and the Pale Ale, both were in excellent condition in my opinion. A superb drinkers pub, with a great selection of beers on offer. The décor is very traditional and the pub has good character. I have been informed by a regular that the pub was called the Flaming Stump many years ago and this is why the locals still refer to it as the Stump. As mentioned by other reviewers, the opening times are a little strange for such a good pub, with it only opening at 7pm most days. But the place is usually packed, especially Friday and Saturday evenings, although be assured that you will not find any gangs of weekend lager louts in here. I always look forward to visiting and long may that continue.