The Rectory, Birmingham

Blimey! £2.05 for half of HPA nearly made me cry but thankfully I pulled myself together and waited til I got outside. The place is sort of split in 2 with U-shaped seating to your left and high tables and chairs in the main part, with the tables having arty farty lamps or interesting lamps depending on your point of view. I found it all a bit crap to be honest.

Modern bar / restaurant, with sparse and uncomfortable seating in the oppressively darkly-decorated bar. More appealing dining room to the side with some booths and better lighting. Several wooden benches outside in the courtyard. Just Wye Valley HPA (£4.05, but thankfully - given the price - in good form) from two handpumps.

This is a pub and eatery, with a patio area. It takes its name on account of St Paul's opposite, but is in fact housed, i think, in a mid-20th century former printing works. The building has a fairly plain brick frontage, with a couple of pediments with roundel windows. The interior has a couple of areas, although it is technically open plan - as well as a function room downstairs. The decor is one of red patterned wallpaper and plain brick, with a wood floor. There are column supports in both areas, with one being given over to the bar area, the other more for dining. The bar has red banquette seats, with comfy chairs in the dining area. I didn't eat. I didn't see a TV and the music, as it was a Saturday night, was loud-ish. A few bits of arty-farty art are on the walls. The service was fine and there was a mixed, younger clientele. Beer; usual tap stuff with a solid enough Wye Valley HPA on handpull (£4). A solid enough place and i would return, but nothing for the real ale fan to go out of their way for.

The Rectory is on the opposite side of St Pauls church to the Ropewalk. Once inside there was a large square shaped room with the bar facing,the floor was bare boarded,there was high bench seating to the right and normal becnh seating opposite this,there was a seperate area to the left which was long and narrow,this area looked more like a dining area. There was only one real ale on the bar,this was Purity Mad Goose,this was a decent drink but very expensive at £1.95 for a half. The pub was fairly busy with trendy types. I found this bar to be far to upmarket for my liking. Pub visited 17/8/2013

Smart, classy and lively.