The Court of Requests (JD Wetherspoon), Oldbury

A good Spoons housed in an interesting building. A fair selection of beers on (which I failed to note for some reason!). I can say that whatever I had was in decent nick!

This old listed building makes for quite a pleasant Spoons. As noted below it appears quite small but I didn't even spot the way through to the larger area! The ten hand pumps had a variation on the JDW Trio of Doom with GK IPA, Abbot and Doom Bore. The remainder had seven festival ales. I went for the B&T Little Sheff (£2.15 festival / standard guest price) which was excellent. I thought this was an above average Spoons and would happily return especially given it's close proximity to Sandwell & Dudley Railway Station.

Appears quite a substantial old courthouse (and later library) building when viewed from the street, but there is less space in the attractive wood-panelled bar than one would expect. However, the mystery is resolved if you venture to the back where you find a small gap through to two further seating / dining areas of a reasonable size beyond. Fairly standard 'spoons furniture, but plenty of old pictures and B&W photographs on the walls. Initially just Ruddle's, Doom Bar and Abbot from the first bank of five handpumps sighted, but AJ's SPA, Highgate Old Ale (£2.25), Brakspear Oxford Gold and Marston's Old Empire from the second set. However, a short while later, all the remaining pumps were clipped with a selection of reasonably interesting real ales. Overall, I left rather more impressed than I had expected to be.

Official site of The Court of Requests (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of The Court of Requests (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com