The Florence, Birmingham

I too last visited here when it was the Cornerhouse, and yes it has been smartened up a lot since I was last there. Beers were Millstone Square Peg, Shep Neame Spitfire and Black Country Pig on the Wall. Millstone 4.3% was £1.55 a half. Comfortable pub to relax in with a drink.

This bar used to be the Cornerhouse, prior to that it was a Hogshead. It’s now part of a small chain of three bars, the others being The Queens Arms and The Rectory. All three of these are smart wine bar styles bars and two of them including this one sell real ale. It’s got leather chairs and sofa style seating along with some high stools and tables, it’s much smarter than it used to be. It has 3 handpumps selling Old Speckled Hen, Sharps Doom Bar and Purity Gold. I had a pint of the Purity which was served in a glass with the brewery logo on it. It was a very good pint, although it was £3 which is pretty pricey even for the city centre. The staff were very friendly and chatty and there was a background track of 70’s/80’s music. It’s a good, smart bar if you can afford it!

A bit of a mixed bag, really. The ale is generally well kept, and the place seems friendly enough, but the staff always seem distracted. It's a place on one of my regular routes, but I wouldn't generally spend an entire evening here. Not with The Joint Stock and The Wellington so close at hand. An energy injection for the staff could really pick this place up.