Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Poll for Lancaster crawl June /July 2026 with Bucking Fastard
on the Pub Forum

Image posted by Quinno _
Submitted on Thursday, 28th March 2024
With picture contributions to 5833 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (33 more images)
Detail Pages
The Old Contemptibles, Birmingham
Birmingham
B3 2HB
Old Contemptibles
Due to a late cancellation we now have two tables available for this Sundays England game, drop us a message if you… https://t.co/CoSiYXltXa
9:31 AM Jun 10th 2021 from Reputation.com-Social
Reviews of The Old Contemptibles (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Strongers . left this review about The Old Contemptibles
The Old Contemptibles is a Nicholsons pub with frosted leaded windows and a wooden floor throughout where tables and chairs area found along the exterior walls in the bar area where the serving counter supports premium and mainstream craft keg alongside six hand pumps. TT Landlord and Landlord Dark where both ‘back soon’, so the cask options were London Pride, Nicholson’s Pale, Attic Brew Co’s Centro and Birmingham Brewing’s Old Contemptibles. Banquettes run up the wall to the left of the bar where there’s a mix of furniture and there’s more seating in the Campaign Room in the left rear. There’s a WWI theme throughout that includes some Tommy paintings around the bar and the upstairs Expedition Room bar. There was some very random music playing that didn’t really sit with the surroundings, I assume it was a general Nicholson’s playlist. The Pride was decent and service polite, so I’d pop back in if passing.
On 22nd March 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6626 recommendations about 6588 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Old Contemptibles
Tidy Nicholsons, maybe a bit heavy on the dark colours. Busy, with extra noisy modern music driving the shouting even louder in a MAD style death spiral making the place echoey and a bit impersonal. About a third of the advertised cask was off; my Brew York Fennec Blonde was in very good shape though (NBSS 4). Worth taking-in on an extended crawl but I think I’ve had my fill of it now and I suspect it wouldn’t make the cut for the next couple of Brum visits unless I was around at a much quieter time. 7.5
November 2014
An imposing red brick Nicholsons outlet with impressive high Victorian stylings within. Well reviewed below so will keep it brief. Enter to the main bar with a high ceiling, up a step past a divider to a further room with a dining area off to the right. Visual highlights include; WWI wall murals, large marble fireplace, frosted leaded windows, dark wood bar and back, maroon leather banquettes, lovely gold leaf cornices, dark green walls, heavy velvet curtains. Clientèle on my 2pm visit mainly business types on late lunches - plenty of money being flashed around as this seems to be the local pub of choice of the middle-aged manager. An impressive ale selection 8+, my Adnams Ruby was in good form. Also a couple of ciders from Westons. Incongruous piped music spoiled the grandeur of the pub, as is usual in Nicholsons (why not have something a little more traditional and relaxing during the daytime at least?). The combination of interior and beer selection makes this one another Brum must-visit. Rated 8
On 24th April 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6004 recommendations about 5984 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Old Contemptibles
Another visit and now in the GBG. Beers on were standard (London Pride, Ubu Purity) and some interesting cask from Northern Monk and a Red ale that I missed on first perusal and I will be back.
Beautiful inside, with a ceiling to compete with some of Edinburgh's finest.
Will come back, as it is handiest for Snow Hill station :-)
On 6th November 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1799 recommendations about 1768 pubs]
View more reviews of The Old Contemptibles (26)
Midland Metro Pub Crawl by Andy Ven
Brum1 by train man
Birmingham real ale contrasting pubs by Danny O'Revey
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Official pages of The Old Contemptibles, contains menus and real ale details - www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk
- Facebook - The Old Contemptibles
- Twitter - Old Contemptibles
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Old Contemptibles - whatpub.com
Birmingham Moor Street, 0.52 miles, 9 min walk (show)
Birmingham New Street, 0.55 miles, 10 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Beer Garden : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Car Park : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 07 March 2023 by paulof horsham
- Darts : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Dog Friendly : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 02 August 2015 by hondo .
- Jukebox : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Karaoke : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Micropub : No last updated 07 March 2023 by paulof horsham
- Pinball : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Pool Table : No last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 02 August 2015 by hondo .
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 13 November 2014 by Quinno _
- WiFi : Yes - O2 wifi - last updated 02 August 2015 by hondo .
![]()
Recently Viewed:
