The Billiard Hall, West Bromwich

As mentioned before this is a single open plan room with a slightly raised area at the rear. I came here on an early Tuesday afternoon to find it fairly busy. I noticed while entering a poster advertising What Pub and suggesting people submit beer scores. The menu holder on the table I sat at claimed that the pub has the "Largest Real Ale Selection In West Bromwich". On my visit three of the twelve hand pumps were unused and the Caledonian International beer doubled up. Ignoring the JDW Trio Of Doom (a perfectly reasonable thing to do) that left four other beers Slater's Premium, Exmoor Gold, Sadler's Hop Bomb and Backyard Blonde. By my reckoning that puts it equal with the Holden's Wheatsheaf up the road. Putting all that aside, I went for the Sadler's Hop Bomb (£2.30) which was in first class condition. Despite their bravado I thought this was one of the better West Midland Spoons. I haven't been to either of the two pubs listed for West Bromwich in the 2016 GBG.

This Wetherspoon's - in an unpromising position at the back of the bus station - retains an interesting façade from its former use but is almost entirely characterless inside. Perhaps I was unlucky, but much of the clientele would reinforce the (usually unfair) criticism aimed at this chain. With seven of 12 handpumps on operation, the seasonal Burton Bridge Tasty Tackle (charged at £2.05 although £2.20 was displayed beneath the clip) was about the pick of the bunch.

A detached Wetherspoon's chain pub and eatery, with patio area. The place was a former billiard hall, built in 1913. The place is a coss between a Methodist Hall and a Music Hall - being in red brick, with garish yellow - but it has some nice moulded stone work and is worth going to see just for being what it is. The interiorhas one long room that bends around the serving bar. The place is in coffee and brown, with a rounded ceiling. The walls have the usual info boards, as well as a Baggies shirt or two, and the silent TVs were around. The was no music. It is foody based at the back and more drinking based at the front. The service was very good, by a guy who knew something about beer. The clientele is the usual Spoons type, and was once of the nicest of the day! Beer; usual tap stuff with Abbot and Ruddles on handpull, other hanpulls included Kelham Island Pale Rider (fine), Derventio's Cleopatra, Byatt's Phoenix Gold and Beowulf Moonshine (decent). Normally critical of Spoons, this one did well for me - by far the best place in the heart of West Bromwich.