Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Goose at the OVT, Birmingham
Selly Oak
Postal town: Birmingham
B29 6AF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Goose at the OVT
The Goose is a large and grand looking pub that is on Selly Oak's main shopping street.
Once inside there is a large T shaped room with the front area running the width of the pub,the bar is in the middle area of the large room,there is a pool table to the front right,the seating is mainly normal tables and chairs and some high bench seating,the front left side is up two steps.
There were plenty of TVs showing the FA Cup Final.
There were five real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Wye Valley HPA,which was a very nice drink,the other real ales were Wye Valley Butty Bach,Adnams Broadside,Doom Bar and GK IPA.
The pub was very busy on my Late Saturday afternoon visit with mainly students.
I was happy enough having a drink in this pub.
Pub visited 26/5/2017
On 6th August 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Goose at the OVT
Imposing building with the Holt Brewery name still visible on the façade, but nowadays sadly run by Stonegate as a sub-'spoons outlet. Mind you, despite some opening out towards the back of the 'T'-shaped bar, there are still a number of interesting features (including wood and tiled panelling to about 2/3rds height, some remaining stained glass and a bold moulded ceiling). Mix of furniture and a plethora of food / drink offer material. Substantial patio beer garden to the rear. Surprisingly, perhaps, not a bad selection of real ales from the two banks of three handpumps, including two from Wye Valley - The Hopfather and HPA (like the rest, £2.50 on a Tuesday).
On 25th June 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Goose at the OVT
An imposing building which was called The Bournbrook Hotel when I was a student here in the 70's,it's now owned by Stonegate and saddled with the odd name of Goose at the OVT (It was also once called the Old Varsity Tavern).Enough remains of the Victorian interior to warrant a visit,the moulded ceiling,quarry tiling by the bar,the stained glass upper windows and the green tiling are all very pleasing.However it's been knocked about and the open plan layout,multiple flatscreens and inane muzak all smack of an uncaring chain ethos.My son even asked if it was a 'spoons and told me that most of his generation of students tend to frequent the trendier establishments closeby and leave this pub to the more mature.(However there are very cheap deals here on the smooth flow and keg crap.)It was certainly busy for a Monday lunchtime,and the large rear terrace was proving popular in the fine weather.
The food offering is very much pub grub,but I was pleasantly surprised by seeing six handpumps drawing Purity Mad Goose (£3,a bit too cold but in reasonable condition)Thornbridge Kipling,Adnams Ghost Ship (doubled up),GK IPA and OSH.The pub has both Sky and BT Sports so expect a lot of footie coverage.Better than I thought it would be ,and for the real ale drinker decent for the area ,I only wish that some of the Victorian splendour could be recaptured when it's time for a refurb.And why not reinstate the Old Varsity Tavern name,so beautifully picked out in the tiling, as the pub must now be the nearest to the University following the demise of The Gun Barrels.
On 22nd September 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Goose at the OVT
A detached former hotel, it is now a pub and eatery, formerly called the Old Varsity, but I am sure I first remember it as the Bournebrook Hotel. The upper storeys are white, and in Rocco style, with nice sash style windows. The lower frontage is rusticated stone with a porch area. The interior has lost its old rooms and is now a open T-shape, as Danny says. There are foody tables everywhere (I didn't eat) and sports TVs. There is a pool table and a number of national flags hang down - likely to welcome th student clientele from all over the world (there were some matureries too). There are no real pictures, just a few beer posters. The green tiling and wood looks great, as does the moulded ceiling - but the mixed patterned wallpapers drag it into the generic foody modern age. The service was functional (mind you,, they were very busy). Beer; usual tap stuff with handpulls of; Purity UBU, Mad Goose and Saddle Black, with Tribute, GK IPA and a decent enough Wye Valley Butty Bach. A better beer choice and quality than i expected, but it is just like being in a Spoons.
On 21st January 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Goose at the OVT
Large Open spaced Goose pub in a T-shape inside.
It looks like a poor version of a Wetherspoons - it has Wethies-type chairs/table layout in the maion area, the out areas a mixture of high benches and other various seating. It has a bit of a tatty feel, though there are some interesting features, such as the 'Old Varsity Tavern' tiling, but basically a cheap looking Wetherspoons type place.
One of the 'Two Towers' is visable from the street.
2 real ales - Marstons EPA (£1.49 a pint!) and Taylors Landlord (though you wouldn't know from tasting it!)
On 3rd February 2011
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]