The White Swan, Birmingham

Loved the interior of this friendly Digbeth pub. Long bar is a delight, and I just missed the guest beer Hydes Ringmaster so settled for an excellent Ringwood Boondoggle. Banks Original also on. Lovely tiled coridor leading to a comfy back room. Cobs for £1.50 looked good too.

a traditional but smart industrial boozer in the Irish Quarter. Its a nice place for a pint, but only one real ale - Banks Bitter - lacks the variety of others around for the real ale fan

There is little to add to what has been written already, the tiled interior and the sumptuous barback give it it's place on the CAMRA national inventory, it's traditionally furnished in keeping with the building style. I called in on a very quiet Monday evening when the pub was almost empty and the beer could have been better, I will however definitely be back again as it is a pleasant pub.

It's about 2 years since I last called in here before last week. Nothing much in the pub has changed, but the several of the buildings around it have been demolished. The barmaid said that they are having trouble getting people in at the moment as quite a lot of their post work crowd aren't around anymore. It's an elegant old pub both inside and out with some interesting stained glass. The front room has green leather seating and the smaller back room has red. It has a very ornate bar incorporating three clocks. There are five handpumps but only four were on selling Banks's Original and Bitter, Jennings Cumberland and Ringwood Seventy Eight. I had a pint of the Seventy Eight which was very good. There is a large screen to the left of the bar which was showing Emmerdale when I was in. I'm not convinced that showing soaps helps a pub get customers in, it would drive me away. It's still a decent pub, but I fear for its future unless the area undergoes some redevelopment.

A corner terrace, Victorian terracotta, Banks's pub The pub has two rooms, a long bar room, with a great wood bar running near its length, and a smaller lounge room. The decor is dominated by its greeny tiles, though the bar has plain walls. It is a place that my great grandfather did drink in and would still pretty much recognise. The service is always friendly, the clientele mixed. This place may suffer a little from having the Anchor so close, yet this place is definately worth visiting - i indeed, have a little more feel for it, as it tends to be more consistent. There is Sky TV and traditional etched windows. Beer; tap stuff, with a superb Banks's MILD, Bitter on handpull, with a couple of rotating guests. Last visit i had a decent Ringwood Bitter - the Brakespeare remained untried. Another must visit. My favourite pub in Digbeth - The Lamp and the Anchor have more real ale choice and all three should form the basis of a good Digbeth trip - just have that personal preference for this pub though.

Vying with the Anchor up the road for the best pub in Digbeth. Offers some good cask ales (Jennings and Banks's). Down to earth place with fantastic Victorian style tiling. A proper pub.