The Tap & Tanner, Walsall

Official site of The Tap & Tanner - ambertaverns.co.uk

Official site of The Tap & Tanner - ambertaverns.co.uk

A dog rough and very noisy spoons-a-like almost next door to the actual Wetherspoons. It’s got some weird decorations hanging from the ceiling and a lot of foliage. Lots of screens and machines. Raised area to one side opposite the counter, otherwise a poor clone. Usual tosh on four T-bars with six hand pumps in the middle, three in use with one cider, 61 Deep and Hobgoblin not in the best of order. I must have run into Steve C’s local pissheads as a minor altercation was occurring, but then most of the customers seemed to be local pissheads. Doubt I would bother again.

The Tap & Tanner was busy with people watching Champions League football on the televisions throughout during a recent Wednesday evening visit. The large split-level open plan interior is faced by a bar counter that runs along the rear wall. I counted six hand pumps, four of which were in operation drawing Marston’s 51 Deep and Wychwood’s Hobgoblin alongside Weston’s Vintage cider and Lilley’s Mango. Standard and premium keg were also available from the bar staff that were surprisingly friendly for a high street sports pub like this. That said, there was a bit of an atmosphere as some of the local pissheads were having words. This is better than the Registry over the way, but that’s hardly a glowing endorsement.

Always busy in here and a choice of Ales. Had an excellent pint of State Of Flux from Backyard brewery.

Fair-sized split-level bar feeling somewhat cavernous due to high ceilings, but little of interest to look at (apart from large numbers of sports TVs). Features a pool table, various slot machines with annoying flashing lights and a patio seating area at the back. Three of six handpumps in use, offering Bombardier, Salopian Spiral (fine value at £2.10) and Thatcher's Cheddar Valley cider (with Robinson's Trooper just about to go on).

A large open plan barn. 6 handpumps still on the bar but only 3 on today with Salopian Lemon Dream, Burton Bitter and Tetley Gold on. It seemed very popular with the older generation this afternoon. Its a fairly average place. A pool table is to the left of the bar.