The White Tower, Birmingham

Quite a landmark pub, with a striking Art Deco facade. Two separate bars, although only the plain angled one on the corner was open when I visited. This features a pool table and a dartboard but little else apart from a scattering of small tables around the periphery. No real ale of course, and the Sharp's Atlantic was off too, so made do with a Madri (£3.40) and had a bit of chat with the friendly landlady.

This is a detached pub. It is a 1930s rebuild of an older pub that was pretty much the same site in the Victorian period and one that served the cavalry barracks nearby. The pub is curved, of brick that is typical of the period, with a dominating white stone tower that forms once entrance. The interior has a couple of rooms, served by a central island serving bar. The lounge i didn't see, but it had striped wallpaper! The bar room is narrow and in red (embossed wallpaper) and white walls, with a grey ceiling and a patterned tiled floor. There is a pool table and a large pull-down screen for events. The walls have horse racing pictures and there are tidy, original red bench seats. The service was ok, and there were a coule of regulars in. There was no music, but there was a jukebox. Beer; no real ale, just the usual keg drinks with a fairly poor M&B MILD on this visit. A tidy enough place - the MILD was better at my last visit.