Bacchus Bar, Birmingham

One of a kind interior, well described elsewhere. Very tucked away in a quiet arcade, but worth finding just to gasp at the eccentricity of it all. Sadly Nicholsons seem to have gone markedly downhill on beer range and atmosphere, this one was full of rowdy groups and the modern pop music didn’t fit the surroundings at all. One off visit and probably not again.

Difficult-to-find underground bar (it's in the little gated cut-through that appears to only have steps and posh shops). Head down some stairs where the walls are decorated with scenes of Bacchanalian excess and enter to a wonderfully silly Nicholsons that has been done out as some sort of tour of the Ancient Classics drinking den (or, as put well below “the set of all the MGM historical epics of the 1950’s”). Beyond the ‘wow’ factor as you enter there's actually quite a bit to admire as it’s done very well and it holds a pretty good atmosphere too. Split into numerous sections and levels, each one seemingly zoned for a different time period; there are columns and arches, fake sandstone, paintings of Classical ladies with their boobs out, Renaissance library shelves, the whole works. Six ales at the bar with the usual Nicholsons stagers along with three guests. Went for a half of the Purity which logged in at well-over two quid though was in decent enough shape (NBSS 3). Worth doing this one for the novelty value and beer range, I liked it.