The Old Blue Ball, Wednesbury

This is a former Bass Charrington house set at the foot of a hill on top of which are two large churches. Today it displays no evidence of the ownership. It's a typical unspoilt old Midlands pub with the bar and drinking area on the right as you enter, a carpeted room on the left with a dart board and a third room to the rear. The bar had six hand pumps of which one was unused. The four regular beers were Olde Swan Original, GK Old Speckled Hen, Wye Valley Butty Bach and Everard's Original. The single guest was a Church End beer. I went for the Olde Swan Original (£2.50) which was in good nick. This is a decent enough place, it's traditional and the prices are reasonable but the beer selection is a bit unadventurous. It is GBG 2015 listed.

A detached white and black rendered cottage type pub with a small beer patio. The interior had three rooms, with a central bar service the main two (the other looked like a function room, with dart board - there was a function on, so i didn,t see too much). The front room was in white artex, with wood beam, with plates and pots as decoration. The back room (where i was), was in red, with plates and a collection of dolls. The service was fine and the clientele mixed Beer; some tap stuff, with Everard's Original, Abbot Ale, ABC Heartlands, Timothy Taylor Landlord (decent) and Wells Bombardier on handpull. I would have happily stayed longer in this place - well deserving of being in the GBG 2010. I will return here when i next come to Wednesbury to finish the remianing pubs off i have to visit.

kid friendly,if you like lots and lots of them running around your ankles,great place to go if your dealer is on holiday.by the way,the bogs are outside.