Tap & Tandoor, Solihull

A popular pub in an unusual victorian stone building on the south western outskirts of the town and near the RHS gardens at Harlow Carr. Comprising one large room, it is an odd shape presumably due to wall removal over the years. Decoration is modern in style and quite tastefully done with fancy light fittings and a few posters and mirrors. One end of the room is largely given over to dining with the bar area between there and a seating area with a pool table, there is also a large bay with more seating at the back. The bar area has two cantilevered tables and some overhead screens for sport, there is another larger screen by the pool table and also some games machines. Four handpumps serving well kept beers from Daleside, Black Sheep and Timothy Taylors, Ossett beers are sometimes available. Usual kegs from Tetley, 1664, Carling, Coors, Heinekin, Guinness and ciders from Strongbow and Magners. Quite busy, even on a quiet post christmas lunchtime, with a good local following. It was known as the Shepherds Dog for a number of years and the adjacent bus stop is still labelled as that.

Large corner pub, in half brick and part timber/render, with beer patio The interior, like many Solihull town centre places, is open plan, pubco, foody and soulless. The decor is white and wood panel mainly, with some old photos for interest and several Sky TVs. There is a mix of sofa and table/chairs, with a few decorative twigs. Service was functional, the clientele the same mix and quantity as most other places in Solihull; O'Neills for example. Beer; tap stuff, with a poor Pedigree on handpull. There were two other pumps not used. Not my kind of thing. If the beer was drinkable, it would have been better.