R1 Bar, Walsall

I thought this was a reinvention of the the R1 Bar in Walsall (now The Bridge), as it had the same colour scheme. This one has a patio area, but the inside is just a room that had the same black and red colours, like the Walsall one. There was a lonely dartboard. The service was friendly and a few people were in - one, a bloke celebrating his birthday (he had a big badge offering the information) showed his moves to the blaring music, while the other was frantically thumbing in a bet on the 9.27 from Walthamstow, being shown on the big TV, as the hare was about to move. No real ale, and I supped my half of Thatcher's Haze before race was over so I missed the excitement.

Describing itself as a 'Wine & Sports Bar', this is a sparsely furnished place with plenty of space for live music and other events. Decorated and furnished in red, grey and black, it has an austere feel (especially when empty, which it was when I arrived). No real ale, and a dull keg selection including the 'smooth' Greene King IPA (£2.60) and John Smiths Extra Cold.

Small bar with all the usual lagers. Nice to see a dart board in use!