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gillhalfpint
10-04-2010, 14:31
Just for fun, I am scrolling up and down the Birmingham pubs, and starting at B1 I am finding any pub I have never done that has no review or ratings, and listing a pub for each postcode area, and I will have a go at visiting them by bus.

Just started listing them, and may start going out to them Mon - Wed next week.

Need something to do when I am stuck at home, and this could be fun. Biggest problem will be opening hhours. I won't be doing evenings.

No I will amend that, biggest problem may be lack of beer choice, but I will give it a go.

Covered a lot of the real ale pubs in the city when a group of us visited 40 pubs in the central area in one day from 10am till 11pm, so I am keeping off those. Too many Banks pubs anyway.

trainman
10-04-2010, 15:49
...when a group of us visited 40 pubs in the central area in one day

Eh?? Did you share them out? If not, I don't think there will be enough of these, :notworthy:, to adequately genuflect to you Gill!

gillhalfpint
10-04-2010, 16:18
Just tried a reply and got firefox couldn't find server. Going to try later as the race is starting.

gillhalfpint
10-04-2010, 16:32
I used the excellent areas of Birmingham that Andy has been sorting and looked for pubs needing reviews where possible, and some that need photos.

Only found 3 postcode areas with no pubs (unless I missed them) in from 1 to 48. They are B22, B39 and B41.

Will take a long time to complete the crawl, but will be a fun project I reckon.

Conrad
10-04-2010, 17:17
Couldn't find server is the equivalent in IE of getting "Internet Explorer cannot find this web page", it means you have lost Internet connection, either a bad ISP or a flaky wireless connection normally.

Your observation is excellent, I just did a check and there are no pubs listed by us in B22, B39 or B41 (a new challenge for Andy ;))

Just to add a :notworthy: for the efforts as well!

hopwas
10-04-2010, 18:26
I used the excellent areas of Birmingham that Andy has been sorting and looked for pubs needing reviews where possible, and some that need photos.

Only found 3 postcode areas with no pubs (unless I missed them) in from 1 to 48. They are B22, B39 and B41.

Will take a long time to complete the crawl, but will be a fun project I reckon.

You will find no pub anywhere in Bournville area cos they are Quaker country.

I'll glad to help you with B77,B78 and B79.

Andy Ven
11-04-2010, 20:47
According to Wapedia (http://wapedia.mobi/en/B_postcode_area) , B22 is blank and 39 or 41 don't exist (B40 is assigned to the NEC and airport).

The Royal Mail website has B22 1.. down for Lloyd Registrars, BIRMINGHAM and is also therefore a non-geographical postcode which means it is reserved for the small number of organisations which receive a very large volume of mail

This is the closest you will get to Bournville http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubmap/37757/ - although postcodes are your main objective

gillhalfpint
11-04-2010, 22:34
Just to let you know I went to a few today.

B1.. Panama Bar, Gas Street
B2..Cafe Rouge, New Street
B3..Bushwackers, Edmund Street
B4..Sound Bar, King Edward Building, Corporation Street.
B5..Twenty Three Essex Street, 23 Essex Street.

Best laid plans and all that meant I went to Essex St first. Too early but took photo. It actaually has a sign and is the Queens Tavern.
Took photo of Craven Arms and Gough Hotel on my way up the road.
Panama is Bobby Browns and was not open. Took photos of it and the Tap and Spile from Gas Street and the canalside of the pubs.

Had a half of landlord in Tap and Spile - thirsty work.

Bushwackers closed too. Doesn't open at all Sunday.

Went to Wellington and met a friend who's mum had died that morning, so as he was on his own I had a few drinks wiith him to keep him company. Rang hubby who joined us, and when we left I called in Cafe Rouge after taking photo, but no real ale and basically food and wine sort of place.

I have wet my appetite for the project though. I had no idea what I was going to find and that is a bit exciting in itself. Pubs picked at random.

I can put something on the sites although not full reviews or ratings, but not tonight. Dropping off in front of the golf!!

hopwas
12-04-2010, 14:11
Actually this challenge got me thinking.. since I have done most of B postcode in the past, I have decided to start fresh by starting in B1 (City Centre and Ladywood) and ending in B98 (Redditch)

Andy Ven
12-04-2010, 17:46
Just to let you know I went to a few today.

B5..Twenty Three Essex Street, 23 Essex Street.

Best laid plans and all that meant I went to Essex St first. Too early but took photo. It actaually has a sign and is the Queens Tavern.
Took photo of Craven Arms and Gough Hotel on my way up the road.
Panama is Bobby Browns and was not open. Took photos of it and the Tap and Spile from Gas Street and the canalside of the pubs.

Had a half of landlord in Tap and Spile - thirsty work.

Bushwackers closed too. Doesn't open at all Sunday.

Went to Wellington and met a friend who's mum had died that morning, so as he was on his own I had a few drinks wiith him to keep him company. Rang hubby who joined us, and when we left I called in Cafe Rouge after taking photo, but no real ale and basically food and wine sort of place.

I have whet my appetite for the project though. I had no idea what I was going to find and that is a bit exciting in itself. Pubs picked at random.

I can put something on the sites although not full reviews or ratings, but not tonight. Dropping off in front of the golf!!

I suspect "Queen's" Tavern is a play on words, given the part of the city centre that it's in. I may be wrong though.

Of course, by going in the Wellington early on in your crawl things can generally only get worse......

You should have popped into the Craven Arms - I thought it was a really good pub

gillhalfpint
12-04-2010, 17:58
Managed to get to the one I missed yesterday, B4 selection Sound Bar and got photo. Didn't get a drink as no real ale, and it didn't open till 12. Tables outside the front.

From there we did a spoons crawl of Square Peg, Dog and Blanket, Simon Cutler, Figure of Eight and Briar Rose and got some new beers off their list.

Took photo of Canalside and the back garden of the

hopwas
12-04-2010, 18:02
Dog and Blanket

????????????????????

gillhalfpint
12-04-2010, 18:07
You could be right about the "Queens" Tavern seing the photos and names of the cabaret stars coming up. There are two pub signs with a large Q and Queens Tavern written on them.

Craven Arms would have been very welcome, but I am trying to keep to my masterplan when I go out like this. I have been in before and I am trying to review pubs new to me.

The Tap & Spile was basically a loo stop and I always feel I have to buy something if I use the loo, and the Welly ended up keeping a friend company in his grief.

Did get to the pub missed out yesterday today. The Sound Bar B4 and took photo. No drink there as I was 15 mins too early and lad setting things up. No real ale on though.

Decided to do Wetherspoons and got round Square Peg, Dog and Blanket, Solomon Cutler, Figure of Eight and Briar Rose. Loved Figure of Eight back garden, so took photo of that, and Canalside as we walked back through the Mailbox.

Will sort out the next lot of pubs from B6 but not sure when we will get round them as caravanning will be starting up again soon.

Andy Ven
12-04-2010, 18:08
????????????????????

Maybe she's thinking of the smell emanating from the Square Peg ....?

hopwas
12-04-2010, 18:28
Maybe she's thinking of the smell emanating from the Square Peg ....?

:D Toliets in Square Peg can be really bad at times..

I am thinking of that small Wetherspoon just off Brum library on Victora Square which is simply called Wetherspoon's, not Dog and Blanket

Andy Ven
12-04-2010, 19:27
You're right. That one in Paradise Forum has no name.

She didn't do the Dragon Inn in Hurst Street - that would have completed the city centre set

DannyO'Revey
12-04-2010, 20:35
Great idea, the B post code crawl. I did a pub in every County listed in GBG over the last 3-4 years (excepting Scottish Border Region). If you can compile a list of pubs, I would love to follow in your footsteps once you have done it!

Can't wait for the next installment!

Cheers

Danny

gillhalfpint
12-04-2010, 21:12
Sorry about the dog and blanket. It is the one by the library. There was always a Big Issue seller just outside and a lot of folk referred to it as the Dog and Blanket. There is a sentry box for the issue seller there now, and a kennel for the dog.

Honest! The dogs box is decorated with paw prints.

I have a list of pubs for B1 to B48 to do. Haven't a clue how long it will take due to caravanning over the summer, but don't care. Got the bit between my teeth now and really want to finish them, a few at a time when I am in the area.

List is on excel at the moment, but I will sort it and put it on here later.

gillhalfpint
12-04-2010, 21:25
Here is the B postcode hit list. Hope it comes out OK.


B1. Panama Bar 52 Gas Street
B2. Café Rouge 98 New Street
B3 Bushwackers 103 Edmund St
B4 sound bar 205 king edward building,corporation st
B5 Twentythree essex street 23 Essex st
B6 Aston Hotel 393 Whitton Lane
B7 Foaming Tankard Bloomsbury Street
B8 Bronford Inn 334 Bromford Lane
B9 Samson & Lion Yardley Greeen Rd
B10 Brighton Arms 356 Coventry Rd
B11 Britannia Inn Warwick Road
B12 Hen & Chickens 128 Moseley St
B13 Cross 145 Alcester Road
B14 Station Hotel 7 High St
B15 White Swan Harbourne Road
B16 Plough & Harrow 135 Hagley Road
B17 Café Rouge 42 High St
B18 Lord Clifden Great Hampton st
B19 Gunmakers 123 Gerrard St
B20 Garden Gate Hamstead Hill
B21 Milestone 11 Hollyhead Rd
B23 Greyhound 361 Court Lane
B24 Little Chealsea Café Bar Orphanage Road
B25 Old Bill & Bull Coventry Road
B26 Dragonfly Terminal 1 Airport
B27 Inn on the Green Warwick Road
B28 York York Road
B29 Selly Park Tavern 592 Pershore Road
B30 Hazelwell Pineapple Road
B31 Highlander Merritts Hill
B32 Bale of Hay Field Lane
B33 Nbell Inn Bell Lane
B34 Raven Hodge Hill Road
B35 Tyburn House Kingsbury Rd
B36 Coach & Horses The Green
B37 Prince Hal 159 Bosworth Drive
B38 Bulls Head The Green
B40 Little owl Bickenhill parkway
B42 New Bell Booths Farm Road
B43 Cat & Fiddle Beacon Road
B44 Drakes Drum 11 Old Oscott Lane
B45 Barnt Green Inn Kendal End Road
B46 Pepper Mill 11 Coventry Road
B47 Pack Horse Alcester Road
B48 Red Lion Red Lion St

Andy Ven
13-04-2010, 08:26
I see you have managed to select some pubs without a contribution in the form of a photo or review. This gets us closer to completing the set. Good for you

gillhalfpint
13-04-2010, 10:03
I used your villages to look for pubs, and it was easy from that to select ones that needed reviews or photos. Your villages look great the way they are listed.

Someone will probably beat me to the pubs now though as it will be for me to fill time in in the 2-3 days I have at home between jaunts. Thats no problem though as I can always check before doing a postcode to see how things are and change if necessary. I want to try to find new ones.

Off to IOM on Thursday, get back 22nd, then will go to Sheffield for Harlequin fest Friday. Devises for a couple of nights 29th on our way for 3 weeks in Cornwall. Unsure for Bank Holiday. May go over Newark way. Have 2 or 3 options open. 4th June caravan to Canterbury for a couple of nights en route to 3 weeks in Belgium.

Wonderful life..........

hopwas
13-04-2010, 11:34
Sorry about the dog and blanket. It is the one by the library. There was always a Big Issue seller just outside and a lot of folk referred to it as the Dog and Blanket. There is a sentry box for the issue seller there now, and a kennel for the dog.

Ha! You got me worried thinking there is new JDW in City Centre! :D That's the first time someone called it as Dog and Blanket instead of Wetherspoon. It is easily the most boring and worst of all in Bham's JDWs.

Seems you have missed out Dragonfly (Hurst Street) which stands almost opposite Hippodrome theatre. Darkish and hardened drinkers seems very popular in there.

Andy Ven
13-04-2010, 12:34
[QUOTE=gillhalfpint;11657]I used your villages to look for pubs, and it was easy from that to select ones that needed reviews or photos. Your villages look great the way they are listed.QUOTE]

Thanks Gill, glad you find it user friendly.

Devizes sounds interesting from a pub and canal boat point of view.

I went to Canterbury in February. The Unicorn in St Dunstans St wasn't bad - busy at meal times. The Wetherspoons West Gate Inn was also popular

DannyO'Revey
13-04-2010, 12:51
Gill,

I was going to do the Prince Hal as part of my getting to know East Birmingham and its one of my closest pubs, but will let you do that review, there are plenty more on my list!

Happy drinking

Danny

Bucking Fastard
13-04-2010, 13:09
Devizes sounds interesting from a canal boat point of view.



Very good point Andy,the Caen Hill flight of locks is spectacular and well worth visiting when in the area.Hard work shifting a boat down that flight.My avatar picture is from there.

The Giant
13-04-2010, 23:26
Here is the B postcode hit list. Hope it comes out OK.
B9 Samson & Lion Yardley Greeen Rd
B12 Hen & Chickens 128 Moseley St
B19 Gunmakers 123 Gerrard St


The above all closed last time I looked.

hopwas
14-04-2010, 11:30
Are you sure Hen & Chickens is closed? May I ask you when you did visit it?

EDIT: Just checked on Streetview, indeed it is boarded up.

gillhalfpint
14-04-2010, 11:57
Anyone wanting to review the pubs I have listed, please do. Goodness knows when I will get round to them, as I won't be in Brum a lot over the summer, and it may well be autumn/winter when I get round the next lot.

If my listing has got anyone fancying doing these - feel free. When I want to do my next jaunt, I will check them, and if they have been done I will find another - no problem.

I have been to the new Dragon Inn in Hurst Street before. Agree I will have to pop in again. Hoping to do an airport one tomorrow when we fly to IOM. There is one in each terminal I think.

hopwas
14-04-2010, 12:00
I have been to the new Dragon Inn in Hurst Street before. Agree I will have to pop in again. Hoping to do an airport one tomorrow when we fly to IOM. There is one in each terminal I think.

Doh! Dragonfly is in BIA main building while Dragon Inn is on Hurst St. Sorry I mixed up with dragon names!

Conrad
14-04-2010, 12:15
The above all closed last time I looked.
Hi Giant,

Welcome to Pubs Galore, myself and Dave M are the admins of the main site and this forum, so if you have any problems, queries or suggestions please do ask.

I have marked those 3 closed on the main site now, thanks a lot for letting us know about them.

Hope you enjoy your stay

Conrad
14-04-2010, 12:16
Anyone wanting to review the pubs I have listed, please do. Goodness knows when I will get round to them, as I won't be in Brum a lot over the summer, and it may well be autumn/winter when I get round the next lot.

If my listing has got anyone fancying doing these - feel free. When I want to do my next jaunt, I will check them, and if they have been done I will find another - no problem.

I have been to the new Dragon Inn in Hurst Street before. Agree I will have to pop in again. Hoping to do an airport one tomorrow when we fly to IOM. There is one in each terminal I think.
You may want to have a look at our currently hidden Isle of Man (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/counties/isle-of-man/) section. Hopefully to be fully reinstated when we go International.

hopwas
14-04-2010, 12:19
Hopefully to be fully reinstated when we go International.

Ohhhh.. looking forward to it! Do you know when it will be lauched?

Conrad
14-04-2010, 12:28
Not any time soon sadly. We used to cover IOM, but it was pointed out that we really shouldn't be listing it as a county under England, so we pulled it during the redesign a year or so back when we put the maps across the whole site.

There are a lot of technical hurdles to us solving International pubs, we need to have a standard way of keeping addresses that works for most countries and we need to be able to handle the maps. As things stand we have a outline for every county we list, say we list a pub in France, with our current system we would want an outline of the region it is in. Any way we solve all these issues is going to need a lot of re-engineering behind the scenes and is a long way down the list to the other improvements that would make the site better.

My hope is that we gradually solve different elements of it whilst we are doing other fixes, until it just kind of falls out of other work we are doing.

gillhalfpint
14-04-2010, 12:46
Just had a look at the site Conrad, thanks. If I can review on the hidden site for Isle of Man ok, I will do some when we get back. I have a list of the 27 Good Beer Guide pubs for starters, but will see how time permits for checking out others.

Going to be a fun filled week by the looks of it.

Conrad
14-04-2010, 13:00
Yep, you can use IOM like any of the rest of the site, it is just not obviously linked from any part of the site. Because they use UK style postcodes they can be added like a UK pub. And we definitely welcome any new reviews!

gillhalfpint
14-04-2010, 13:07
I have just been looking round the places and see it is short of reviews.

Plenty of photos. I am so looking forward to this trip now. Am not taking laptop but a stupid 8 inch notepad thingy that is wi-fi'd so may be able to open new crawl thread while there, but don't count on it. Takes ages to navigate on it. Will take notes for return though.

Eddie86
20-04-2010, 23:00
I've just arranged to go to Birmingham tomorrow with the better half if there's any pubs that need looking at :D

Eddie86
21-04-2010, 09:23
Having just read RogerB's review of the Plough in Worcester, I think we'll be going to Worcester instead. If it's not what we're after we'll carry on to Birmingham. Simples

gillhalfpint
25-04-2010, 23:28
Yep, you can use IOM like any of the rest of the site, it is just not obviously linked from any part of the site. Because they use UK style postcodes they can be added like a UK pub. And we definitely welcome any new reviews!

Cannot enter 5 of the pubs I have been to on Isle of Man as message says they are not recognised as UK postcodes.

ROBCamra
27-04-2010, 10:56
Having just read RogerB's review of the Plough in Worcester, I think we'll be going to Worcester instead. If it's not what we're after we'll carry on to Birmingham. Simples

I think it was me, not Roger. :p

But if you do go try the Swan With Two Nicks and The Dragon as well, both closer to the station than The Plough, so you can call on the way back. :cheers:

hopwas
29-04-2010, 10:14
I think it was me, not Roger. :p

But if you do go try the Swan With Two Nicks and The Dragon as well, both closer to the station than The Plough, so you can call on the way back. :cheers:

I agree Swan with Two Nicks and The Dragon. Both are excellent. Don't forget JDW next to station...

gillhalfpint
30-04-2010, 08:29
The Postal Order next to the station is certainly one of the good Wetherspoons. Always go to that one and the Dragon in Worcester. Swan with two nicks is a really interesting building and worth looking rouns upstairs as well as downstairs while enjoying the ale.

gillhalfpint
27-05-2010, 23:28
Went into Birmingham for the Anchor beer festival today, so thought I would do the next pub on my postcode crawl list.

This was the Aston Hotel in B6. I got off the train at Aston so walked past the New Aventurers and Holte, then on to the Aston Hotel. There were workmen laying piping round and may be doing the heating system, so it may be gretting a refurb, which it could do with really. There was one real ale on Greene King IPA, but it was in good condition. Looked as though it was a lively pub in evenings from the posters and adverts around.

Caught a bus back into town and popped into the Bartons Arms for a couple. Ever so weird this one. Asked for Oakham Asylum and it was served from a pump with Oakham JHB on it, and asked for the guest, Sadlers Magic Miles and it was served from a pump with Old Rosie cider pump clip. Barmaid said there was confusion but they could tell what they were serving from the stickers behind the pumps! Oh well, that's all right then.

The Anchor festival is superb and on all weekend. We found there were 4 breweries new to us, and had 2 of them. Hogswood Goshen Ale from Cornwall was one, and we had been very close to the brewery that is near to St Agnes, but had never heard of it. The other one we tried was Windsor and EtonGuardsman Best Bitter. We had 8 excellent beers there, but will not get back for when Toad and Upham brewery beers come on.

gillhalfpint
27-09-2010, 18:53
This postcode pub crawl is likely to take me years to do as I am not in Birmingham very often these days, but as we were going into town we caught a train to Duddeston station to find my B7 pub, the Foaming Tankard in Bloomsbury Street.

The site entry has a photo, so I didn't take one, and passing the old chap having a cigarette in the doorway I entered a fairly large empty room with a bar and no real ales. I asked if there were any and was told by that there were none.

Looked like it was for the locals to gather with a pool table taking pride of place in the room and there was a dartboard. Some trophies in a cabinet on the wall so they may be some good teams there.

Left without having a drink.

hopwas
27-09-2010, 19:05
Duddeston... That name sends my spine shivers. I HATED that place and still do to this day. Easily one of worst area in whole of B'ham. Glad you made back in one piece.. I was threatened once by two iffy looking men asking for fag and I politely said no. Luckily they walked away..

Alesonly
27-09-2010, 19:27
I will be In Birmingham too visit my Brother In Erdington from 1st too the 5th of November so I will give I few Pubs a Try around the Erdington Area.

hopwas
27-09-2010, 19:30
I will be In Birmingham too visit my Brother In Erdington from 1st too the 5th of November so I will give I few Pubs a Try around the Erdington Area.

Erdington is very poor for real ales (apart from JDW's Charlie Hall) and Go to Suton Coldfield nearby as it is much nicer and better.

Delboy20
27-09-2010, 19:48
This postcode pub crawl is likely to take me years to do as I am not in Birmingham very often these days, but as we were going into town we caught a train to Duddeston station to find my B7 pub, the Foaming Tankard in Bloomsbury Street.

The site entry has a photo, so I didn't take one, and passing the old chap having a cigarette in the doorway I entered a fairly large empty room with a bar and no real ales. I asked if there were any and was told by that there were none.

Looked like it was for the locals to gather with a pool table taking pride of place in the room and there was a dartboard. Some trophies in a cabinet on the wall so they may be some good teams there.

Left without having a drink.

It amazes me that the Foaming Tankard is still open ! I called in a couple of years back and it looked like it was on its last legs then. The Albion Vaults, not far away, isn't a bad pub.

Delboy20
27-09-2010, 19:54
I will be In Birmingham too visit my Brother In Erdington from 1st too the 5th of November so I will give I few Pubs a Try around the Erdington Area.

There are a few pubs in the area but nothing really special. The Red Lion is an impressive looking pub - if you like that sort of thing ! Not sure about ale, I haven't been for a while.
The Lad in the Lane - http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/52358/ - is worth a visit. Just down the road from Erdington, it is supposed to be the oldest in Brum. They had real ale on earlier this year.

gillhalfpint
28-09-2010, 11:50
What I did a while ago was look for postcodes for Birmingham pubs that had no reviews and list pubs by postcode that I had never done to do a review. I have done B1 to B7 now, and my next pub will be in B8.

The randomly chosen one there is Bromyard Inn, but not sure when I will get there. B9 is Samson & Lion, B10 is Brighton Arms.

dannyorevey
28-09-2010, 20:45
Inspired by Gill I have started a Birmingham Post Code crawl!

Already done:-
B1 Brasshouse
B2 The Windsor
B3 Apres
B4 The Crown
B5 The Anchor
B6 Barton Arms
B7 Albion Vaults
B8 The Adderley Park
B9 The Roost
B10 Malt Shovel

next up is a bus trip through B11, B12, B13, B14

Its a great idea in a big city as it takes you to areas you wouldn't usually and see a bit of a history of the place. Though I would agree with the comments on here relating to Duddeston...:ninja:

It was a shame to see the historic Marlborough Arms closed.

Danny