The Queens Head, Black Lake, West Bromwich

Wacky community pub - all kids creche murals, a Phillip Marlowe effigy carrying a pistol to greet you in the foyer and lots of karaoke hardware. Ringing a little bell to get served was a bit different but teenage barstaff appeared instantly. Butty bach ropey.

The Queens Head has a carpeted seating area with a dartboard in the front left. The main body of seating is found up the parquet floored right where it’s faced by the counter up the left. At the rear is a stage, live music is advertised for Saturday evenings. The entertainment during my recent Monday visit was the Chase which was on the televisions throughout. Monday is actually one of the few evenings that doesn’t host Karaoke, although there was still a decent attendance from locals of varying ages. Available from the very friendly chap running the bar was a standard keg selection, including five ciders alongside Madri. I spotted two hand pumps, one of which was in operation drawing Wye Valley’s Butty Bach. This is one of the better pubs in an area with very slim pickings.

This basic-looking local in a rather unpromising, semi-industrial area turns out to be a slight surprise. For once, most of the exterior signage in such places still turns out to be true, with regular karaoke events, a Sunday carvery, weekday cobs, etc. The interior features several different seating areas (one with a dartboard) are all plainly furnished, but tidy enough. I found one of the three handpumps in use, offering Wye Valley's rarer Bitter (oddly priced at £3.96), with reversed HPA and Rosie's Pig clips on the adjacent handle.