The Shakespeare, Birmingham

Official site of The Shakespeare - www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk

Official site of The Shakespeare - www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk

Victorian, with concrete all around, A place to get good food and real ale. A rarity in this part of the town, And marginally off the beaten trail. Purity’s Mad Goose and some Ubu complement the great Titanic Plum Porter, and there’s real cider too from Rosie’s Pig and Weston’s, not from Brum. IPA was Nicholson’s own brew, but from St Austell’s as I’m sure you know. Food was from a rather good menu, Staff were very helpful, but quite slow. Worth having in a crawl if you are on it, and maybe write your review as a sonnet.

Traditional Victorian red brick boozer - with some fine opulent features. Leather topped bench seating, chandeliers, gilded bass mirrors. All very consumer friendly. Beers - three from UBU - Purity in fine nick (as you would expect from a Good Beer Guide regular) and Doombar and their won pale ale. Bit out of the way - neither the Jewelry Qtr or the City - so an effort is required to get there. I would come back if passing.

The other Bard pub in central Brum and also confusingly owned by Nicholsons as well. A real odd one though as it's off the beaten track and had little passing trade whilst the redevelopment of Birmingham went on around it. It shows too, as there was only one lone barman, no soap in the gents and a broken table. L shaped main bar with the usual modern faux Victoriana fittings, apparently a snug is located somewhere but I didn’t see it. A bit of historic interest with wonderful arched windows containing intricate square wood panes and latticing. Behind the bar is a nice quiet lounge-cum-snug. Six pumps with four ales on - genuine guests in Hop Back, Titanic and St Austell Summer Anthem (NBSS 3). One wonders what the future holds here.