The Crown, Birmingham

Large Stonehouse 'Pizza & Carvery' with many seating / dining areas that wasn't serving any food on my early evening visit, and none of the three handpumps was on either (despite one displaying a Pedigree clip). I only bought a Marston's keg 61 Deep (£1.60, half) so I could make a contemporaneous note about how appalling badly run I found this place.

The former King's Arms Hotel, an Edwardian rebuild of an earlier hotel of the same name on the same site. It is now a Crown Carvery. The older Jacobean styled brick, with black and white upper and projecting gables, has a new extension on the side. The interior is now all open plan, with one third being a 'bar' area and the rest turned over to the carvery and dining. The decor is the familiar plain colours; dark red, clay and cream, along with patterned wallpapers. The dining side has the annoying vases, arty art and now ubiquitous Kid's grabbing machine. The bar side has a pool table and several TVs that were showing the football. Old local photos are on the walls. The service was fine, and a few diners were in, but most were locals watching the footy. Beer; usual tap stuff, with Pedigree and a pretty poor GK IPA on handpull. Generic carvery, but left swiftly due to the beer.

The Kings Arms is now called The Crown. It is part of the Crown Carveries chain.

Official pages at the Crown Carveries site - www.crowncarveries.co.uk

Official pages at the Crown Carveries site - www.crowncarveries.co.uk