The Station Inn, Kidderminster

This is a lovely Victorian double-fronted pub with bay windows, with front and rear patio areas. The larger bar has been knocked through to create a single room the bends around the serving bar. The small rear room is set out for dining and the food was really nice. The decor is white, grey and green wood panel and there are a few TVs dotted about - silently playing Vintage TV while there is no background music - strange choice. Service is friendly, as are the locals. Old sport and local photos adorn the walls, while some ornaments add interest. 5 real ales: Enville Ale, Holden's Golden Glow, Wye Valley Butty Bach and HPA, Hobson's Town Crier. The Enville and Butty were very good, as ever. Can look a bit misleading from the outside as other reviewers have said - but this pub is excellent and is always on our list when in Kiddy.

A short distance from Kidderminster station and therefore as good an introduction to the town's pub scene as any, the Station Inn is a pleasant two bar, side-street, traditional pub. On arrival I had to pass beneath a set of inflatable Guinness branded rugby posts that marked the entrance to a small front patio area with a few picnic benches, which suggested that the pub would be a lot more sports orientated than it turned out to be. You enter into the front bar with a tongue and groove counter directly opposite. The bar has a rather out-of-keeping, boxy looking bar back and a plain canopy with a TV screen on it showing a music channel devoted to hits I'd rather not be reminded of. To the right is a smart dark fireplace with a small stove inside, a decoratively framed mirror above and a cabinet full of trophies and decanters to one side. A nice curved banquette runs under the attractive stained glass windows to the front, whilst over to the left, the room runs a short way back in a carpeted area set aside for diners on my Friday lunchtime visit. Mot of the tables here were already laid and were served by comfy banquettes and standard chairs. Two more TV screens back here were showing the same music channel and I spotted some shelves sporting more trophies and various decorative items. A few black and white pictures rounded out the decor and I noted that the ceiling was covered with Six Nations flags, whilst the bar canopy sported a few rugby themed quotes, so live sports must get an airing at some point. It was only as I was leaving that I noticed that there was another room behind the servery - seemingly quite a cosy lounge-style room with some comfy seating options which leads on to a decent beer garden. There were five ales on the bar when I arrived - Wye Valley HPA and Butty Bach, Holden Golden Glow, Enville Ale and Bewdley Worcestershire Way. I plumped for a pint of the Butty Bach which was in great shape and really is a great beer when on this kind of form. Prices seem to have moved in the right direction since Ray's visit in 2014, as my pint was just £3.10. I was one of only two customers not eating on this visit, with both of us choosing to prop up the bar rather than use one of the valuable dining tables. This is a very pleasant, well kept and welcoming pub which I perhaps did not do a great service by visiting at peak dining time. It's a lovely little building with a real community feel to it and certainly delivered the goods when it came to enjoying a well kept pint. A solid introduction to a town full of good pubs and one not to be missed from any crawl around town.

A good traditional local. Hidden amongst houses slightly off the main route, though (as its name suggests), it is only 2 minutes walk from the station (turn right then 1st right and the pub is in view). The small cosy bar area sports five hanhpumps. Two Wye Valley beers, one Holden's, one Enville + Doom Bar. Hot meals were being served but a very good value sandwich satisfied me before moving to my next liquid destination.

A homely little community pub a little off the main drag in a residential street. This is a much extended multi-roomed boozer with a nice local atmosphere. Enter to a small main bar, with the extra rooms down a rear corridor. Three pumps, carrying Enville Ale (good nick), Wychwood Hobgoblin and Wye Valley HPA. Whilst perhaps not a destination outlet in the same way as the Weavers or K&C, it’s well-worth a stop for the atmosphere and decent ale – only a couple of minutes out of the way.