Four Ashes Inn, Wolverhampton

Firmly aimed at the family market, this 'L'-shaped pub on a crossroads now has its entrance off the side-road car park with quite a modern bar (with dartboard) to the left as you enter and a more traditional lounge with a couple of side dining areas along the main-road façade. What looks like a former off-sales hatch can be found in the central corridor too. Also has quite a large beer garden with a two-part children's play area, and camping pitches are also available. Wainwright and Banks's Amber (on offer at just £2.00) available from the trio of handpumps on each counter.

Situated on a busy cross roads,a series of cottages must have been ,at some stage, knocked through to enlarge the premises.The exterior is looking a little tired at present but there is a large beer garden and a marquee off the car park,so it is popular with families.The entrance off the car park has to the left a public bar with a modest counter,flat screen above the modern fireplace,a darts boards ,gaming machine and a few bench seats and tables.You can order bar snacks at £3 but these must be consumed in this room,elsewhere a more pricey main menu offers pub grub staples with most mains around £7,and a weekend carvery.My meal filled a gap but wasn't particularly memorable. There is a corridor with a serving hatch for those drinking outside,while around a corner is a lounge on multiple levels showing how the cottages added to the pub ,in an open plan style.Still there are some nooks and crannies in this room. A Marston's tied house,so expect beers from their portfolio of breweries.On my trip the three handpumps were dispensing EPA,Old Empire and Banks's Mild but the dirty glasses and indifferent character of the beer was a disappointment. I was left with the impression that although the pub is clearly popular with locals,it could be a whole lot better given a bit of TLC.

A large detached rural Banks's pub, it looks like a former coaching house or farm. It is in white render, with beer garden, kids play area and even has a brick built burger bar in the garden. I think, at one stage, Wolvrhampton Rugby League team played on the pitches adjacent to the pub. The interior has two rooms. The bar has a dart board and pool table and is in a mix of green, white and beige wood panel. There are a number of prints and old photos for interest and a TV, which wasn't on. The lounge is more for dining and for the Sunday carvery (i didn't eat). It is in white and pinky artex with ceiling and support beams. The service was fine, the clientele mixed - many enjoying the sun in the garden and the background music was general stuff at a decent level. Beer; tap stuff, with Banks's Bitter and a decent MILD on handpull, along with Marston's Old Empire. A nice stop off when cycling - i am sure i will be back.