The Old Chapel, Smethwick

Slightly oddly named, since its beside Smethwick Old Church, but otherwise it's a traditional two-bar cottage pub. Traditional, if plain, furniture and decor in the lounge (to the right of the entrance lobby), with a more spartan public bar (with dartboard) to the left. Intact bowling green at the back, but this currently has wooden picnic benches on it; a great shame. No real ale these days unfortunately, so a quick John Smith's (£3.40) it was before moving on.

Official site of The Old Chapel - www.oldchapelinnsmethwick.co.uk

Official site of The Old Chapel - www.oldchapelinnsmethwick.co.uk

This is a detached pub, with rear patio and bowling green. The Local History Society have the pub as formerly being called the 'Hand in Providence' and built at the same time as the church - 1732. The pub is in Georgian style, currently in a cream render, with black paintwork. It is a cottage style, with a projecting porch. The interior has a couple of rooms. Off to the right is the bar. This was in darkness, but i could note a dart board. Loud 80s music was playing from here, to entertain the people outside and in the lounge. The bar room is in coffee and cream, has a few old photos and sport pictures and red bench seating. The lounge is a small L-shaped room, in white plaster and black beams. A few old photos are on the walls, as well as family photos advertising the photo service they also provide. The service was fine and the clientele mixed - families to mature. Beer; usual tap stuff with M&B MILD, but they did have Marston's Pedigree on handpull, which was OK. A nice building and the luxury of a real ale make this a highlight in the area!