The Shovel Inn, Stourbridge

Well positioned in the middle of Lye, the Shovel is a smart pub which has been refurbished in recent years yet retains a nice traditional feel to it. You enter into an L-shaped room with a similarly shaped servery directly opposite. To the right there is a cosy looking space with tongue and groove panelled walls and some nice banquette and low stool seating. A fireplace on the end wall acts as something of a focal point and there was a TV screen above broadcasting an unidentified music channel. Over to the left there is a similar seating arrangement set around a large brick fireplace, although this time the TV screen above remained switched off. Some interesting art pieces adorn the walls and a large high backed bench acts as a screen, shielding the space from the bar area. The room runs to the rear from here, where you can find a nice snug in the rear left corner, filed with a single L-shaped banquette and several low stools around four small tables. This area has a rather novel form of decoration, with the walls having been covered with framed jigsaw puzzles, more of which can be seen in the corridor running towards the toilets. At the back of the room there is a big hatch to the open kitchen, although on a Saturday evening visit, this was boarded up, but I'm told it is always opened during food service. The aforementioned rear corridor also sports a lot of nice framed pump clip collections and leads to a rear garden which I didn't explore, but apparently contains a wall covered with over 1,900 pump clips - one for each beer put on by the current landlord, who explained to me that he was planning on hosting a beer festival to celebrate the 2,000th beer. A good number of beers on the long row of handpulls will help add to that total, with the full range on this visit comprising Holden Golden Glow, Enville Bitter and Ginger, Morland Old Golden Hen, Salopian Mind's Eye and Oracle, Hook Norton Nice Try, Belhaven Grand Slam and Urban Huntsman Tropical with one clip reversed. I ordered a pint of the Mind's Eye, which a friendly barmaid served up, but before I even had a chance to pick up the glass, the landlord, who was sat at the end of the bar, spotted that it wasn't clearing and suggested I should get it replaced - a good spot and excellent customer service. He recommended the Tropical, which was a fine hoppy brew and a more than satisfactory replacement. This is a great little pub that clearly takes great pride in the range and quality of the beer it serves. I enjoyed a good long chat with the amiable landlord and found it very easy to settle down with my pint, to the point that I almost ended up cutting short my little three-pub jaunt around Lye in favour of just staying here. A good all rounder and a pub I hope continues to do well.

Has had a make over since my last visit. Several comfortable sitting areas with a kitchen on view. About 8 ales on tap , mine was in good condition.

It was open on a Saturday Afternoon - we got there around 2:30. 7-8 real ales on - I tried a couple and they were both in great condition. Sky Sports was on with the football scores coming in. Much hilarity as Aston Villa went a goal down to Chelsea. Friendly barman and a handful of locals on our visit. Recommended for the beer.

On a main road out of Lye, parking is difficult but worth it if you are a beer fan. Refurbed local that doesn't open until 5.30 in the evening, 4.30 on a Saturday, though may open lunchtimes on a Saturday. mainly open plan but with separation such as patterned iron railings. Watched the end of the Wales v England football qualifier on one of the two plasma screens enjoying excellent real ale, of which there is plenty and very well kept. Perhaps lost a bit of character by being refurbished, though I never saw it before, but its comfortable and very plesent (as was the England win!)

The pub is a free house and looks to be a 19th century build to me. It has a large 'cottage type' look, with central door and red/white theme. It has terraced houses coming off the one side and to the other, though separate, is the Bulls Head. It has a beer garden/patio area. The inside is clean, painted in a peach colour, with an open plan bar/lounge and a strange statue or two. The clientele was mixed and the service was friendly, even making a point wishing us a good night when we left. The beer, like the Windsor, is focused on the handpulls in the middle of the long side of the bar. Two Enville's, the Ale and the Ginger, were really good, as ever. There was Spekky Hen, Malvern Hills' Bitter and Wobble, which were fine, Broughs IPA and a couple of others. The beer was kept well, even if all were not to my taste - and i didnt see a MILD on, though i believe they have them as guests. This pub is quality. Along with the Windsor Castle and Holly Bush to a lesser extent, Lye has some excellent pubs.