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Pennyblacks, Birmingham

Pub added by elizabeth mcgraw

132-134 Wharfside Street
The Mailbox
Birmingham
B1 1XL

Phone: 01216321460

Correct details

Served areas

Birmingham Central

Tweets by Pennyblacks

Pennyblacks For those who aren’t celebrating valentine’s day, we are showing the Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain game tonight… https://t.co/qp8TcyKEmO 4:23 PM Feb 14th 2018 from Twitter for iPhone

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Reviews of Pennyblacks (Average Rating: 6 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Al Bundy left this review about Pennyblacks

Canalside pub and it was very scenic on this roasting hot day. It is, however, a sports bar now with plenty of tellies. Inside is a rectangular box with bare brick and stone flooring. 2 pool tables at the front. Sadly real ale has gone so its generic fizzlepops. Oh, and if you drink bitter then you're out of luck as there ain't any here.

On 25^th July 2019 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Pennyblacks

Modern bar / restaurant underneath the Mailbox, but in quite a quiet spot beside the canal - or it would be, without the 'background' music (unless you are making use of one of the patio tables outside, if the weather suits). Nothing much to say about the interior, but I did notice that an 'Off the Rails' package in one of the four 'VIP Booths' was available at just £800 - bargain! Beer-wise, there was only one operational handpump of the total of five on different parts of the counter, but I did manage to get a fair pint of Wickwar Gold (albeit at £4.00). You can also get a 'yard of ale' at £16, and it's a long time since I've seen that advertised...

On 26^th July 2015 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Danny O'Revey left this review about Pennyblacks

24/06/2015 revisit - Refurbed to a more trendy brash fashion - gone is the wine tasting and emphasis on real ales, but 4 do still remain, just more hidden & less obvious.

The high seating has also gone in favour or leather type arm chairs, sofas and half is given over to large party drinking/food. In my humble, not as good as the original.

21/05/2010 - This pub is actually at the rear of the main Mailbox development and at canal level. Its a purpose built modern unit at the rear of what used to be the Post Office sorting Office, now known as the Mailbox, a mixed use development in central Birmingham.

Its a large open plan room, with the bar running down the left and modern furniture, rustic seats and benches. The bar is copper and clear of pumps which are at the rear, and part of the bar is lower, presumably to accommodate wheel chair users. The floor is stone/wood. Its quite well done and feels modern and airy. The windows open up in summer to bring an open feel. There is also some seating canalside basin at the front and there are views down to Gas Street basin and I believe the building at the opposite end was Duran Duran's former rehersal rooms! The balcony to the right above the stairs is where BBC do the local weather on warmer days, so if you time it right your friends may get to see you waving if they watch the Midlands news!

There is a Waterbus stop directly outside (The Mailbox) though I'm not sure of the frequency.

There are occasional wine tasting events at the barrel at the far end.

Quite pricey for Birmingham, reflecting its location, its £3.10 a pint, but there are 5 real ales, and they are more unual than a number of other real ale pubs in Birmingham, including Church End and Wyre Piddle.

Overall a very pleasant place, especially in Summer, though suffers from being busy at peak times due to the location. Although modern its comfortable and offers a contrast to other pubs in the City Centre.

On 29^th June 2015 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1542 recommendations about 1519 pubs]

View more reviews of Pennyblacks (7)

This pub features in the following crawls:
Birmingham real ale contrasting pubs by Danny O'Revey
Pubcrawl Birmingham by Michael Petersen

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