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Detail Pages
The Fountain, Lower Gornal, Dudley
Dudley
DY3 2PE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Fountain
The smell of refurb hits the nostrils as you enter and sadly it’s not a good one – modish grey gloopy paint and nasty swirly plaster walls, quite a contrast with the competition a few yards away down the hill. Still an ale emporium with 10 cask on (alongside a couple of ciders and some keg) – ‘too many?’ I wondered. However my Three Tuns Fruit & Nut was excellent (NBSS 4). A Greene King ale (Abbot) remains. Poshest cobs in the Black Country, mine was actually a cottage roll with a chicken tikka filling. Still well-worth a visit for the cask ale but whether you’d be inclined to linger for a session now is less certain. 7.5
October 2012
A fleeting visit to this one due to time ticking past a little too quickly in a couple of earlier stops. This is a freehouse that has been run by the current owners for over 20-years. Closed and run-down when they got the keys, this is all their own work. The exterior has a bold set of lead-latticed bay widows which allow for a good amount of light to enter. The interior lounge is cosy and resembles more a suburban lounge in places than a pub, with modern wallpaper, red velveteen banquettes, exposed brick fireplace and carefully-placed artefacts on dark wood wall shelves. To the rear is an extension which houses a dining area (‘The Pen’) and an impressive modern garden which I imagine would be a sun-trap in the summer months. The bar plays host to up to ten real ales, a couple of proper ciders and a few Belgian kegs/bottles including fruit beer. The beers on my visit were an unusual mix including three from Greene King which I found a little odd but maybe they at least have some form of novelty value up here? Anyway my votes went to Blue Monkey PG Sips and Hobsons Twisted Spire which both went down well. Cobs were also available from the bar. A cosy stop with top beer (GK excepted, perhaps!) and it’s great to see a genuine freehouse doing so well. Rated 9
On 30th December 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5075 recommendations about 5058 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Peculiar left this review about The Fountain
Now open, after a takeover & light refurb.
12 ales on tap. Abbot Ale, HPA, Butty Bach & Town Crier plus 8 guest ales. Good range of lagers & ciders for those who like that stuff!
Food starting Nov 5th, hopefully the pub will get back to the busy place it once was; Mike (the manager) has worked hard to get it running again.
On 25th October 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 97 recommendations about 92 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Fountain
The Fountain has been taken on by Westbourne leisure and plans are for a local brewery to run it. Hopefully it will be open again soon!
On 5th July 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Fountain
This is another famous real ale venue as noted below. It's a single carpeted room with the bar at the centre of it. There were nine hand pumps on my visit which were all in use. Beers available were Hobson's Town Crier, GK Abbot, RCH Pitchfork, GK Old Speckled Hen, Red Lion White Lion, Pictish Crusader, Abbeydale Nativity and Oakham Crackers. I went for the Abbeydale Nativity (£2.95) which was in excellent condition. It's a very good pub and would recommend it but not one of my favourites on the day, maybe the Greene King beers put me off a bit.
On 15th December 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Fountain
I first came here last year with the PuG coach trip but didn't review it for various reasons, you can read the other coach trippers below but a return visit was definitely on the cards. It's a great pub and I wont bore you with a description, the beer was excellent as ever with a good choice across the nine pumps, a couple came from Greene King but I'm sure they would have been pretty good, I had a St Austell Proper Job that was spot on, the rest were mainly from smaller micros. I don't think anyone mentioned the collection of GBGs in one corner as the pub features in it regularly.
On 16th September 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Fountain
To the left of the entrance of the Fountain is a small bar, but the main bar stretches up the right hand side. I spent my visit in the right hand side where I counted nine hand pumps that were drawing various ales. I went for a Dark Star brew that was a little unadventurous as I live in Sussex not far from their brewery. There is also a premium draught range.
At the rear of the pub is a restaurant and the kitchen is open at lunchtimes and evenings during the week and from midday until 21:00 on Saturdays and from midday until 17:00 on Sundays.
I liked it in here and would gladly return.
On 2nd November 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5238 recommendations about 5206 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Fountain
Very much a fleeting visit, unfortunately, so not much time to note much apart from an excellent selection of beers from the total of nine handpumps in the two bar areas (and the Hobsons Town Crier was on good form). Busy, and you can quickly understand why, so I must get back for a proper visit soon.
On 31st October 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Fountain
A very inviting pub on approach, it has a great way of drawing you in. On our visit I was lucky enough to to take a right and stand at the corner of the bar to read their beer board. I went for the Hobsons Twisted Sphire and RCH Pitchfork and enjoyed both very much. Also, I had the best cheese and onion cob I've had in years. The barmaids were very friendly and service was great.
On 8th October 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Fountain
From the entrance there is a square room to the left with it's own counter while to the right is the longer bar and a room that extends a way back ,with the rear section set up for diners.There are a further six handpumps on the main bar,and it was a little strange to see three Greene King brews on ,but a quick glance at the chalk board showed that the three pumps in the side room were dispensing some top ales including a very good Blue Monkey BG Sips.I failed to note the other real ale selection apart from RCH Pitchfork,but it would appear that a decent selection will await your arrival.The interior has a lot of wood cladding and exposed brickwork but didn't have too many original features.That wouldn't stop me calling again to tackle their beers however and quite rightly it features in the 2013 GBG.
On 7th October 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Fountain
This is a great pub for real ale lovers, and we always include this one on a Black Country pub trip. Good selection of well kept ales, and decent food list too. We enjoyed bagettes and chips with our beer here, and the beer of choice was Ossett Hop Monster and Pictish Columbus. Is in the 2012 Good Beer Guide and easy access by bus. It has a sun trap of a garden too.
On 12th August 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]