The Halfway House, Black Lake, West Bromwich

This is a detached 1950s looking corner pub, built as the area expanded rapidly from the 1930s onward. It is perhaps a little austere in its mock-Tudor style, with stone around the entrances and their corresponding upper windows. The interior has a couple of rooms (formerly three) and a conservatory that has a pool table and a few gaming machines in. The general decor is of red and yellow ceiling and walls, with red tile flooring in the bar area and carpet elsewhere. The main room is an L-shaped one, part bar, part lounge - the lounge area being used for domino games. There were a few prints on the walls, but it looked a little plain and there was a TV with Corrie on. A small burner fireplace is on one wall. There is a smaller back room too. The service was friendly and it felt like a good locals pub. Beer; usual tap stuff with Banks's and M&B MILDs, and a single handpull served what was a decent enough Wye Valley HPA. A nice experience - a place serving a decent real ale, with a few MILDs. I would happily pop back for one.