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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
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The Pretty Bricks (New Inn), Walsall
Walsall
WS2 8AF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ale Monster left this review about The Pretty Bricks (New Inns)
This is an excellent traditional back street pub which was acquired by the Black Country Ales Brewery towards the end of 2011, officially the pub is licensed as The New Inns but it has always been known as the Pretty Bricks by the locals due to the glazed bricks across the lower half of the frontage, and this has now been painted on the front name board of the pub although the pub sign still says The New Inns. The interior has two relatively small rooms, a public bar across the front and a lounge across the back of the building, these are both served by a central island bar counter and accessed by a short corridor down the left hand side of the building which has an unused serving hatch from the front bar. The public bar has the counter with snob screen in the middle of the back wall with seating areas at either end and red fabric bench seating arranged in to booths opposite the counter, there is a lovely cast iron fire place in the right wall with an elaborate patterned surround, a small collection of Toby jugs on shelves in the back left corner and the front windows are nicely etched. The lounge has the counter in the middle of the front wall but this side is partially enclosed with glass at one end, there is a brick fire place with wood surround and mantle piece in the right wall, red fabric bench seating fixed to the walls and a patterned carpet. There is a small court yard to the back right of the building which has a couple of picnic style tables.
Regular ales are Black Country Ales Fireside, Bradley’s Finest Golden and Pig on the Wall (Mild) with six changing guest beers which on this occasion were Wood Farm Union, Wyre Piddle Summerfall, Wentworth South Island Pale Ale, Plain Ales Inspiration, Salopian Piccadillo and Goffs Merlin. I tried the Inspiration and the Merlin which were both well kept in my opinion. The real ale is £2.10 a pint Monday to Friday between 12 and 6pm.
A great traditional back street drinkers pub with a large and interesting selection of real ales on offer. Pork pies and cobs are often available from the bar and they have held a couple of good beer festivals in the past year with a stillage along the right wall of the public bar, unfortunately obscuring any view of the impressive fire place. Its a bit of a walk from the town centre and its on a quiet side street, but it is definitely worth the effort and there are a couple of decent pubs on this side of the town. This pub would be a superb addition to any pub crawl of Walsall Central, I shall look forward to another visit soon.
On 14th November 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 199 recommendations about 199 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Pretty Bricks(New Inns)
When I visited Walsall last year, I was disappointed to discover that this well regarded pub had closed, so it was something of a relief to arrive in town twelve months later and find the place open and seemingly on top form. A ten minute or so walk from the train station or town centre, the pub gives a good first impression with its handsomely tiled facade, from which it takes its new name. The entrance leads you into a corridor from which you can turn right into the saloon bar or carry on to the lounge bar at the rear of the pub. The saloon bar is a pleasant space, with a nice carpeted floor and some U-shaped banquettes with a mixture of low stools and standard chairs creating comfortable seating options. There is some pleasing etched glass in the front windows as well as in a dividing screen at the bar counter. A recently lit fireplace on the far wall had a large mirror hung above it and there were a lot of posters for the Black Country Ales Brewery who have been instrumental in getting the pub re-opened by incorporating it into their chain. There are also some photos of the pub in its previous incarnation and a tap and spile display keeps alive the memory of the pub's former name.
The lounge bar looks like a narrower room with mainly bench style seating. It's wallpapered and has a part tiled floor, which you can follow in the direction of the paved garden. Music was playing when I arrive shortly after opening, but this was soon replaced with radio commentary from the West Midlands cup fixture between Birmingham and Wolves.
Eight hand pumps were dispensing Black Country Ales BFG, Pig on the Wall and Fireside, Purple Moose Glaslyn Ale (£2.80), Goffs Tournament, TSA Silver Mist, Sadler’s Red House Mild and Dancing Duck Dark Drake. I had a pint of the Glaslyn Ale which was in great shape and served up by a friendly barmaid.
I thought this was an excellent pub and, like Soupy, I could happily have spent the rest of my day here. If the beer quality and choice is always this good, then they should be a dead cert for inclusion in the next GBG and I would suggest that no serious crawl of Walsall would be complete without a visit here.
On 25th January 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Pretty Bricks(New Inns)
Time for a re-review after this pub has re-opened as a part of the Black Country Ales chain. The pub is called the New Inns, apart from a brief spell when it was known as the Tap & Spile (see Andy Ven's photo of the pub lantern, which i think was originally put up in 1950). The Pretty Bricks is a nickname based on the brown and cream ceramic tiled exterior. The rest of this detached pub is now in cream render, with some blue paintwork and etched windows. The pub is mid-Victorian and was a GBG regular. There is a rear patio area.
The interior - the layout of the pub is of course still the same - two rooms either side of a central wooden serving bar, with coloured glass. They are accessed by a corridor in cream patterned wallpaper and red walls. The front room is the bar room. It is in a mix of red and a salmony colour, with white ceiling and a patterned carpet. There is a stone fireplace at the end and some pew seating. BCA posters and a few old photos grace the walls, with a bookcase/dresser which displays ephemera in the corner as you enter. The lounge is in Cream patterned paper and red walls, again with a white ceiling and red patterned carpet. There is another stone fireplace, with a stove in it. The seats are red. There was no TV that i saw and the background music was general and very subdued. They do food in the day and cobs and things while they last! The service is friendly and the place was rammed out with a slightly more mature crowd.
Beer; usual tap stuff with 8 real ales on handpull. These inclue the three BCA regulars; Fireside (which was very good), Pig on the Wall MILD (about to go on) and BFG. The guests that i managed to note were Piddle's Yogi Beer, MHB Nightingale, Pot Belly Yellow Belly and Aisling and Falstaff Little Voice.
Back to class. Back to being a must do. I could sit in here all day. If this pub closes again, close Walsall.
On 3rd December 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mikee Evans left this review about Pretty Bricks(New Inns)
Now back open and under the Black Country Ales group. About 8 real ales on. Roaring fire, and very welcoming. Nice to see this place open again
On 6th November 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 19 recommendations about 18 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Pretty Bricks(New Inns)
The pub has been taken over by the ex-gaffer of the Royal Exchange in Bloxwich. The number of real ales - including Highgate MILD had increased to the six or so that it used to have. There is now a TV in the bar. Service remains good - indeed, had a good chat to the gaffer. Back to being a must do place in Walsall.
On 25th June 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Pretty Bricks
The pub has returned to its original name, The New Inns. It is affectionally know as the Pretty Bricks, though it has never had that name officially, so the gaffer told me.
The exterior to this small detached pub has a top half of white render and a lower half of brown ceramic tile. It looks fantastic. There is a beer patio.
The interior has two rooms, either side of a central bar. The decor is a mix of wood panel, wallpaper and red walls. There are lots of old pictures and prints, some nice tiled fireplaces and a mix of pew seating in the bar and red leather in the lounge. Very traditional. The sevive is very good, clientele small that i have seen - most of the young 'uns go to the British Oak near next door. The also do food.
Beer; tap stuff, with Enville Ale (class), Theakston's Bitter and Abbot Ale on handpull. The place used to serve twice as many, but not since it re-opened.
A super little place - it would be great to see it expand again - though three pumps is really enough
On 13th September 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Jim Falvey left this review about Pretty Bricks
"The Bricks" is Back !!
Ant and Jan are back and so is the excellent food and real ale.
There are so few excellent "Real" Pubs left, that it was a joy to return to a local where all are made to feel welcome.
It's back to business as usual, so come back everyone, the good times are here again !!!!
If you want "The Old White Rose - Bilston" or "The Barton Arms - Newtown Birmingham" but locally then come to "The Bricks".
It's like "The Stag" Bloxwich has been resurrected!
And come on CAMRA support your local pub.... All Hail to the ALe
On 27th April 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Andy Ven left this review about Pretty Bricks
Excellent pub with a selection of 8 real ales. Re-opened in March 2009 under its traditional name of the Pretty Bricks
On 23rd March 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 244 recommendations about 240 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
elizabeth mcgraw left this review about The Tap and Spile
This pub is not closed but a change of name. now The New Inns (Pretty Bricks)
On 14th February 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 252 recommendations about 249 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Johnny Realale left this review about The Tap and Spile
Was told a few weeks ago that this pub has closed? This would be a shame because it was a lovely place although the choice of beers had been reduced from the 8 mentioned previously. Suggest checking before visiting.
On 14th January 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 7 recommendations about 7 pubs]