Blue Bell Cider House, Solihull

Well described by the skipper and others below, I'd head for the boaters bar rather than the lounge for atmosphere and chat. Beers on were: Blue Bell Gold Flash, Slaters Nelson Sauvignon, Doom Bar and Wye Valley HPA. We gave the pub brewed Gold Flash a go but it didn't particularly suit so stuck with the Nelson which went down well. Well worth a visit if outdoor activities take you this way.

Famous canal-side pub, with a beer garden overlooking the waterway. Retains two separate bars at the front, with an opened-out dining room to one side and a carvery / dining area in a newer link between other buildings at the back. Has its own micro-brewery too, with the 'Pure Brew'd' Gold Flash (£3.20) and Brewster's Special available from two of the five handpumps, and Wye Valley HPA on another. As a self-styled 'cider house' there were quite a few choices available, although nothing that unusual.

Called in to see if they had any of their own beers on and were lucky as Blue Bell Atlas was on along with a couple of other real ales. Pleasant pub with entry through a large built on area rather like a conservatory with seating and a hatch through to the bar. Large boards with a good menu selection of mains and puds either side of the hatch. A few seats outside by the car park. There is also a large grassy area with tables leading down to the canal where there are moorings.

The pub sign proclaims this to be the Bluebell Cider House which means that it immediately appealed to me, besides it’s attractive canal side garden which is certainly another enticing feature. The pub itself is a traditional brick built affair with a good sized car park off to the right, and it was surprisingly busy at 6:00 on a recent mid-week evening. Perhaps they do some sort of food deal to entice people in as many punters seemed to be eating, although this is by no means a gastro-pub. Approaching from the car park, you enter through some sort of conservatory style extension, and this looked a little ramshackle to be honest. A large stainless steel food servery was just to the right of the door. The larger lounge bar was to the left, and this too had a slightly dated appearance with an old patterned carpet on the floor with some quarry tiles around the bar. It was further divided in to different areas with some partial walling. Dark wood panelling was on the lower part of the walls with cream painted wallpaper above. A plasma screen was mounted up on one wall, although this was not in use, and there was an old brick fireplace at the rear. Behind this was a slightly cosier area perhaps, with the décor being broadly similar other than a deep red paint on the wallpaper. A public bar to the right had some type of blue lino on the floor, as well as a TV screen showing a quiz, darts board, a couple of trophy shelves and another brick fireplace with a few plates and a ships wheel above it. A collection of jugs were hung around the bar counter. Beers on tap were Doom Bar, Kinver Half Centurion, Wye Valley HPA and Bluebell Starfire and Barracuda. Ciders were well represented as might be expected with Stan’s Traditional, Cheddar Valley, Thatcher’s Gold, Black Rat, Strongbow, Sharp’s Orchard and Cornish Rattler.