Market Vaults, Tamworth

The huge Banks's window on this old pub didn't bode well but inside it was a revelation. The front room is a small public bar with a few tables and chairs and a wooden floor while up a step leads to the plusher carpeted saloon bar. There is a Joules mirror on the wall of the front bar but the cheerful landlord assured me it's not tied to them, they just have an agreement to stock Joules Pale as a permanent beer. The bar has eight hand pumps one of which was blank and to go with the Joules Pale were Dancing Duck Dcuk, Kelham Island Pale Rider, Oakham Bishop's Farewell & Tranquillity IPA, Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild and Holden's Black Country Bitter. I went for the Tranquility IPA and the Ruby Mild (both £3.50 reduced to £3.40 with the CAMRA discount). Both were excellent in fact the Tranquillity was so good I stopped for another, giving up on going to another pub. This is a great traditional boozer with a landlord who is clearly a real ale enthusiast. I'm almost tempted to give it a ten as it's a 9.5 for me. Highly recommended.