Cagney's, Balls Hill, West Bromwich

Impressive-looking 1930s building with a pair of feature Dutch gable ends. The interior has been given comprehensive modern refurbishment quite recently, with three main seating / dining areas in front, and on either side, of the central bar counter. Sports TVs are located at each end, a tidy patio can be found at the front and the menu is described as 'Pizza | BBQ | Grill'. No real ale unfortunately, but at least the Worthington's was only £2.60 (with Sharp's Atlantic being another keg option).

Facebook page of Cagney's - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Cagney's - www.facebook.com

This is a detached pub, with patio areas. The pub was part of a 1930s development on the site of the former Millfields Colliery. The pub was then known as the Millfields Inn, it has, apparently been Gagneys, but is now the Old Mill. It seems unfeasibily large in times of dwindling clienteles: it has a central Roman entrance area, with steep pitched roof (and dormers) that is in white, which is flanked by Dutch gables in plain brick, which are in turn flanked by further extensions. The interior is a little bizarre. I am sure i only saw a part of it, as a full tour would take more than the half I was prepared to imbibe on site. There is a long bar room, which starts as a pool and dart area, turns into a seaty area and ends up as a stage/music area (they do have bands on). Pictures and things are based on heavy metal/rock, or bloomin' big motor bikes. This long room then bends, elbow shaped, back on itself, where i saw another pool table and some coloured glass that looked 1930s. It was busy with an array of locals and they and the service were friendly. Some guy had a strange living creature with him - i thought the dodo was extinct. The Tvs were not on and strangely, no music. Beer; Hobgoblin was, or had just been on - the rest of the choice was the usual tap stuff and i opted for the Banks's MILD, which was fine enough. Biker pubs are usually friendly in my experience, and i felt perfectly comfortable - happy i visited but nothing to drag a real ale drinker out of their way, unless it is the music or to spot a dodo.