The Falcon Inn, Willenhall

A detached 1920s/30s undressed brick building, with a front facing crow-stepped gable and rear patio. In the GBG 2011. The interior has two rooms entered via a corridor that is lined with train prints and served by one long serving-bar. The lounge (smoke room on the door)is in white and has prints on the walls, but i couldn't see too much of this room. The bar room is in gold, with a green tiled string course and a chocolate coloured ceiling. The seating is cream and there are a few prints and artistic beer mats on the walls. There is a dart board, a TV that wasn't on at our visit and there was no music. The service was friendly and the clientele was a busy mix, many seemingly locals again. Beer; the tap stuff is in fact Sam Smith's lagers, with Kelham Island Pale Rider, Acorn Stingo, Salopian Oracle, Skinner's Wheat Beer, Exmoor Gold, Ma Padoe's Dark Swan and Bumblehole on handpull. All were well kept, the Bumblehole is class. Class, class and thrice class. There are a few good pubs in Willenhall, this is perhaps the best. Go - you know you should, I will be back.

Tucked away from the main bar and club circuit of Harrogate it is in that style although maybe more refined than some. One room across the width of an oldish building with a more discreet but cramped area at the back. Pleasant enough décor furnished mainly with low leather sofas, matching tables and some chairs. There is a posing table in one of the big clear front windows and an outside drinking area. The beers are all extra cold mainstream kegs, John Smiths, Tetley, Carlsberg, Fosters, Stella, Guinness and Strongbow although there are three unused beer engines. We were there a bit early to get a feel for what the atmosphere is like when busy but it seemed OK for that sort of place just a bit small. Larger function room upstairs.

Very much a traditonal Black Country local pub, it has two avaerage rooms. Its not the most comfortable pub in the world, its a good place when you're with a bunch of mates and fancy a beer. Its a bit basic. A beer as in real ale, its well stocked and the German Pale Ale (Downton) I tried was excellent. Known as Willenhall's real ale centre it is just that, not somewhere you you go unless its for the beer.

This place is entered in CAMRA's Black Country Good Beer Guide and earns the glowing tag of Willenhall's flagship real ale pub. Praise indeed.

A fine establishment indeed. A somewhat excentric landlord who nevertheless keeps a great pint of real ale. Clientelle is a mixture of local folk and people who - like me - travel some distance because of its reputation. Lovely homely atmosphere, nice garden in the summer. The sign in the bar, written in the local dialect says "Smile - Yo'm in the Falcon" and indeed you cant help smiling.