THE BLOXIDGE TALLYGRAPH

An increasingly rare resource reviewed... 

Here we offer, for your interest, contemporary Bloxwich pub reviews by The Soup Dragon, a friend of mine who prefers to remain anonymous but who I can safely say has considerable experience both of beer and pubs.   He is a fair judge of both, even though he has a bit of a fixation with Mild!  All photographs were taken by me.

The information below is constantly under review and may already be out of date in some cases.  The pub reviews will be expanded and updated as time permits - so watch this space for the latest!

As with anything else, tastes vary, pubs change over time  so I recommend that you take the opportunity to try these pubs for yourself - after all, it seems, sadly, that pubs are an endangered species in these difficult economic times.

Only pubs which are currently open are reviewed here, and the focus is presently on Bloxwich itself.  Others, in Leamore and Blakenall Heath,  may be added later.

For pub history, please visit our main Bloxwich Pubs page.

One final thing.  The comments below are entirely the personal opinion of The Soup Dragon, and do not necessarily reflect mine or those of The Bloxidge Tallygraph.  Caveat emptor!

The Edditer 

THE BEACON WAY

Stoney Lane, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 3DW

Review:   A mixed feel to this one.

The pub is a very 1960s building, even with scalloping decoration like half the houses around, however, the exterior is decorated well enough and the interior, with lots of tables for dining, is neat and clean.

The landlord still retains the policy of no under 21s and smarter dress - no baseball caps and hoods. So fair play to him. The guy serving was friendly enough.

Usual taps really with Banks's MILD smooth and Wells Bombardier. I had the MILD, which went a bit flat.

All in all, i will go again, but it wouldnt be a regular as its a bit off the path.

The Soup Dragon

THE BELL INN

1 Bell Lane, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2JN

Review:  The current pub was built around 1900 to replace an older pub on the same spot.

Outside is tidy enough, with nice walled beer garden. Inside has a nesting of rooms; the bar is functional and there is a lounge, thats seen a better days, with dart board and TV for racing. A lot of the more mature section of the Blocko community meet in this room, as, tv apart, it looks straight from the 1940s - i love it! Staff are always friendly, as well as the budgies in the cage in the corridor.

They do a fantastic Banks's MILD cask, as well as usual stuff. No other handpumps were operating when i last visited. The pub can go from quiet to very lively, but its rare i do not pop in when researching the local history of the area.

The Soup Dragon

THE CAROUSEL

80 Park Road, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 3SW 

Review:  The outside is deceptive, it looks almost like cottage, next to the currently boarded up Bulls Head. I visited this place two or three times when going around Bloxwich, but sadly it it a rough place.

Usual taps, with Banks's MILD smooth, Sky TV. It is better to avoid, like The George and Prince of Wales, which get closed down every few weeks, while the other one re-opens ad nauseam.

The Soup Dragon

THE HATHERTON ARMS ("Painters")

63 Reeves Street, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2DN

Review:  A 19th century freestanding pub of rendered brick, with smoking area. The inside has two small rooms; the bar is like a working mens' club, with sports tv and football memorabilia of all clubs on the walls - its clean enough and friendly enough. The lounge sometimes has music/karaoke, despite being small. The service is ok.

The beer is the usual, with Banks's MILD - used to have Highgate too, but that has now gone sadly. There is usually a guest beer on handpull.

We always pop into the Hatherton - known as Painters due to it being run by the Painters for 30 odd years. It has stayed consistent, whereas a number of other Blocko pubs have declined over the last few years

The Soup Dragon

THE LAMP TAVERN

34 High Street, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2DA

Review:  Seemed a little frosty when we first started going in here, however, it now seems very friendly and probably for us, the best pub in Bloxwich. It serves Holdens - the Mild is fantastic and very cheap - what more can I ask for to slake my thirst after a hard day's work?

The pub is small, but stands on its own as is named after the fact that the land over the road was a colliery last century. It is open plan, with a lounge that includes Titanic memorabilia and a bar that has darts and an area set up for karaoke. This can get loud, but I have only been in once when its on.

The whole pub seems to shake every now and then, I think they have some generator in the cellar or something - a bit of a weird feeling.

The Soup Dragon

THE QUEEN'S HEAD

140 Church Street, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 3JQ

Review:  Well, this place seems to have been up for sale for ages - something that is happening to lots of Bloxwich pubs sadly. This pub was built in 1974, to replace an older pub of the same name on the same spot. Yes, it lacks charm - having that look of the period - bit like a big house.

The interior, when I visited it - which was a little while ago, was a bar room (I didn't venture into the lounge) with pool and Sky TV. It was in a bit of a bad state. The seats were those type from the buses in the 70s, filled with foam. Like the buses, half of this had been dug out and the seating split - indeed I had difficulty in finding a posture to allow myself to sit comfortably - perching a cheek at a time.

I didn't see anyone else in the pub, but I do outside from time to time, whatever the weather - whether this is because they can smoke, or it's the only seat I am not sure.

The beer was just the usual stuff, with Banks's MILD smooth, that I remember, however I won't go back to see.

The Soup Dragon

THE ROMPING CAT

96-97 Elmore Green Road, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2HN 

Review:  A great corner pub originally built in 1900 as the Sandbank Tavern - a good part of the original pub is actually the chip shop next door. The pub changed its name in 1957 to the RC, allegedly for local traditional purposes.

The outside is mainly brick, with a court yard area. The inside has a nesting of rooms inside with a strange semi-circular bar area, which has sky TV. The lounge is quieter, with a dart board and the other lounge has a few quiz machines. The service and people have always been really friendly.

Beer wise, its the usual stuff, with Banks's MILD Cask, which is superb and a guest ale - the last being Hobgoblin, which was excellent. Always visit here when in Blocko.

The Soup Dragon

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE

24 Stafford Road, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 3NL

Review:  A must for any day in Blocko. Everyone seems friendly enough, lots of choice ales, but more importantly, it serves a great pint of Highgate Mild. In the back there is bar football - quality!

Update: This pub has been taken over so I have given it a few weeks before trying it again.

This is a detached Georgian pub, in two buildings, white rendered with black paintwork, with a beer patio at the front and a garden at the back. (The outdoor bar-football and pool table have now gone).

The interior has two rooms. The bar has a white wall and wood panel decor, with lots of old bottles, empty and full, looking tiredly out at the punters. There are two TVs, near next to each other, that had French football on when I visited. The background music was a bit on the loud side and too charty. The lounge has had a bit of a tidy-up, not that it was too bad. The seats have been re-covered and the room has a nice fireplace, old prints and has a white and wood decor. Background music was the same as in the bar. Service was fine and the clientele mixed.

Beer: usual tap stuff, with Highgate MILD, which was decent as ever. There was not so good a choice of handpull beers as before; there being Davenports IPA, Pedigree and Tetley Cask Bitter.

The place looks a little better, the beer seems as good, though not such a good selection, the music is awful and didn't try the food. All in all, its still a place to visit in Blocko. Time will tell.

The Soup Dragon

THE SADDLER'S ARMS

Fishley Lane, Little Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 3PS 

Review:  Another 60s estate pub, rather like a big house, little grace and charm, until they demolish a lot of them and it becomes quaint with the passing of time. Also has a beer patio area.

Inside, there is a lounge, which I have only seen open once for karaoke (though when I visit it tends to be before 8pm) and a bar, which looks a little tired, but not scruffy, with a TV in the corner. The service was friendly and the clientele on the maturer side when ever I visit - even at the karaoke.

The beer is the usual tosh, with Banks's MILD and bitter on handpull. The MILD is very good. I visit infrequently, as it's a little away from other pubs in Bloxwich and its just a muchness kind of place.

The Soup Dragon

THE SIR ROBERT PEEL

104 Bell Lane, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2JS

Review:  A much older building than the 1940s brick facade indicates. The interior has a lounge and bar, the latter looking a bit shabby after a succession of recent landlords.

Over the years I have been in several times, sadly, it is now in the worst state I have seen it in. The latest man at the bar stood for several minutes without acknowledging that we were even there, until my wife quizzed him, only to be told that he was waiting for change.

Clearly he was unable to multi-task. When the change arrived, we suddenly appeared in his vision. The choice of beer was poor, just usual tosh, but there was Banks's MILD smooth, advertised outside at £2 a pint. They hadn't got any.

We left. I have no intention of returning. There were no redeeming features to this place.

The Soup Dragon

THE SPOTTED COW

9 Wolverhampton Road, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2EZ

Review:  Nice 19th century brick exterior recently given a lick of paint by its new owners. The interior has been cleaned up a lot by the new owners, it was, till recently HQ for the Man Utd fan club, with Utd memorabilia on the walls and behind the bar, which was really grimy. The place is now fresher and neutral looking regarding football stuff.

There is a central bar area, with an open plan room encompassing it, and an aside part that has table football in it. Music was loud when I visited, but I couldn't get in a few days before, so despite not being my cup of tea, it is popular for people of all ages. The service was friendly.

Beer, well, usual stuff and Bass and Banks's MILD smooth, so not much to entice. The MILD was fine though.

As I say, its not really to my taste, but it is popular, so it has something for the locals. Like several places in Blocko, it's one I pop into infrequently.

The Soup Dragon

THE SPRING COTTAGE

60 Elmore Green Road, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2HW

Review:  An early 20th century detached pub on the site of an earlier build, near to the site of the former Bloxwich Brewery.

It has recently re-opened, and has a slightly jaded maroon frontage and beer garden. The interior has two rooms; the bar is in the middle and an open plan room sweeps round it, anding in a dart area. There is a small lounge, which used to be a pool room. The wood floor and fixtures do look a bit tired, despite the pub having a coat of paint from the new owners. The service is friendly and the clientele often mixed.

The beer is simply the usual stuff, with Banks's MILD smooth. However, the pipes have split, so I had to have a J Sm*** shandy, which luckily I couldn't taste, as I had just played footy and just needed a drink.

Pop in infrequently, just to see how it is, but not a regular visiting place by any means.

The Soup Dragon

THE STATION HOTEL

85 Station Street, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2PG

Review:  A free standing 19th century pub, which, although called the Station Hotel, had nothing to do with the railway companies themselves, but is opposite where the original Bloxwich station was.

The interior is open plan, with a large bar as soon as you walk in and seating all around, with a dart area in one corner.

The pub, a few years back, was a real nice place, friendly, with an olde world jukebox and railway memorabilia on the walls. A succession of gaffers and reliefs has really killed this place. Sadly, the memorabilia has gone, being replaced by some generic art pictures - which gives the impression of brightening the place up (more plain white wall!). The service was at best functional.

The beer had always been the usual stuff, with Theakston's MILD and Bitter on handpull, and Dark Smooth on keg. The handpull MILD was rancid, and i returned it. I couldn't really work out what the bar chap said, but he did replace the pints, but with the keg, as he turned the pump clips around for the MILD and bitter. The keg wasn't good and JB left half of his - I finished mine. We left.

Sadly, during the swapping of gaffers, I had a poor pint here and it will be a long while before i return. I hope it improves, I really do.

The Soup Dragon

THE THATCHED HOUSE TAVERN

125 Elmore Green Road, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2HS

Review:  A large, white rendered, detached pub, with a beer patio in the car park area. The interior has a bar with pool table and a lounge, however, as it was jammed with the football team, we sat outside, so cant report too much on interior.

I havent been in this pub much as it was a younger place, not particularly friendly, never served MILD and didnt have any handpulls.

The ex-gaffer from the Spring Cottage is now running it, so it is a lot friendlier and whilst no handpull could be seen, Banks's MILD smooth is now sold as well as Stones Bitter (blast from the past). The clientele was the footy team, so we caught it at a bad time really for miserable people like me, so still seemed to be a youngies place - God forbid!

The Soup Dragon

THE TURF TAVERN

13 Wolverhampton Rd, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 2EZ

Review:  I will make this point about the Turf. There is a difference between keeping a place 'original' and simple neglect.

The following is becoming more obvious to me; firstly, a step into the yard will show that the windows are rotting and more paint has flaked off than is still visible. The back room, that gives views onto the road, has some seating that is not only ripped, but even looks mouldy.

The handpull beers are becoming more static; It seems Pitchfork, Bright Otter and Pardoe's OLD Swan MILD are always on, with Bumblehole, or JHB taking the other slot.

The beer is still fine and I love the place, but there are a few worrying signs.

The Soup Dragon

THE WHEATSHEAF

35 The Pinfold, Bloxwich
Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 3JL

Review:  The present pub dates from the late 19th century, there is a nice photo of the original pub, with a copper outside, dating to around 1845, in the pub.

This pub is a small detached house type, with a lower roofed annex at the side. It has a decent smoking area at the back.

The interior has three clear areas. A smaller and quieter lounge, bar area and the annex area, set out for diners, although I am not sure if they still do food. Has a dartboard. The pub is clean and friendly, even if some of the language is a little direct at times.

The beer; usual stuff with Banks's MILD and bitter on handpull. It also has two guests; Brakspear's Hooray Henry and Jennings Honey Bole were last on, with the Bole being fine.

Another pub that we always visit, but can be a little inconsistent. 

The Soup Dragon

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