The Firs, Wolverhampton

A detached Marstons pub and eatery with patio area. I think the pub dates to the 1930s, as this is when the Castlefields area seems to have been developed. A strangely curving, somewhat a crescent shaped building, which is in white render, the pub has two entrances with the small bar to the right and larger lounge to the left. The interior has two rooms, with separate entrances bizarrely. A quick glimpse saw that the bar is a small room, in cream and red, with red tile floor. The serving bar is to the left on entry and the room sports a pool table and TV, along with a few mirrors, pictures and trophies dotted about. The lounge is an L-shaped room, with a curved brick bar to the right. The decor is white and fake beam walls and ceiling, with some exposed brick and a lound carpet. They serve the food here - but i didn't eat, so can't comment on that. Old photos and posters adorned the walls and there was a nice brick fire range at the far end. The TVs were silent, with general stuff on and there was no music, as one side of the room was given over to the pub quiz. The service was friendly and the clientele a mixed local one it seemed. Beer; usual tap stuff with Banks's MILD, Bitter and Jennings Tizzie Wizzie (guest) on handpull. The MILD and Tizzie were fine. Like the Monster below (as ever, an excellent review), i found this place somewhat better than i felt that i would when outside. Packed with locals for the quiz, it had a better feel to it than the average Marston's foody place. Happy to go back.

This is a large Banks’s (Marston’s) community pub which I think dates back to at least the 1920’s. It has a small public bar on the right of the building and a large open plan lounge on the left, the buildings layout is a little strange as the only way to get from one room to the other is to go outside. The bar has a very traditional working class feel to it with terracotta tiled floor, a small bar counter on the left and a pool table at the back, there is a large flat screen TV, sporting trophies and memorabilia on the walls. As you enter the lounge, there is a small brick bar counter on the right which curves in and out like a shallow S Shape. This room has a fake (but well done) olde worlde look to it with low beams, half timber and white walls and a cast iron range cooker at the back on the left of the room which is covered with plastic flowers so as you can barely see it! There were two TVs that looked as old as the hills, they were turned off at the time and I would be surprised if they work at all. Regular Ales are Banks’s Mild and Bitter with two changing guests (one in the bar and one in the lounge) from the Marston’s portfolio such as Brakspear, Jennings, Ringwood or Wychwood beers. I really like this place, the bar is a great example of an authentic 1920’s working men’s public bar, only things missing were any flat caps or whippets. The fake olde worlde lounge has been done as well as any I’ve seen before with beams that look genuine, so it feels very cosy and homely. In the lounge there was a good sized menu of typical pub fare which was very reasonably priced. An untouched gem, long may it remain so.