CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE

WEST MIDLANDS - Birmingham, Sparkbrook, Marlborough

National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors Part One

170 Anderton Rd, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, B11 1ND

Tel: 0121 772 2459

Public Transport: Railway Station: Small Heath; Bus: 8 A/C

Listed Status: Grade II

View this pub on a local map

Substantial detached brick and terracotta three-storey pub built 1900 designed by William Jenkins for Mitchells & Butlers and surmounted by a tall clock tower with an ornate weather vane. The highlight is the impressive display of tiling on the dado believed to be by Maw & Co. of Jackfield, but, due to the boldness of the mouldings, they could be by the Medmenham Pottery, a rather arty/crafty firm in production during 1895-1905 and which architects liked particularly (or even Minton Holins of Stoke-on-Trent, whose tiles adorned a number of James & Lister Lea pubs for Mitchells & Butlers). The tiled dado is on both sides of the walls of the corridor throughout the pub, up one side of the staircase, on the first floor landing and also on the corridor-side wall in the public bar. The high ceilinged public bar retains its original carved mahogany bar back with mirrored panels and two rows of Victorian tiles; the original bar counter with match strikers, but it has a new top, also a good cornice; but the fixed seating is modern and possibly a partition in the bar have been lost.

The off-sales situated to the right of the counter and accessed from Anderton Road is no longer in use but is believed to retain its original fittings. The games room (former Smoke Room) has retained its fixed seating but has lost its original fireplace. The rear room has an original fireplace, two pieces of original fixed seating with carved wood detailing also a good cornice, and service is via a hatch to the back of the severy. A wood strip on the wall behind the servery indicates one section of fixed seating has been removed. In the corridor changes have been made to the hatch and a small piece of wall on the Smoke Room side removed and replaced by a glazed panel to improve supervision by bar staff (possibly at the insistence of licensing magistrates or police?).

On the first floor there are two rooms There are some original ‘Club Room’, ‘Dining Room’ first-floor windows and others which have 'Mitchells & Butlers Limited' in a roundel around a central 'Crown' illustration, 'Estd 1781' and 'Trade Mark'. Sadly, three original good quality Mitchells & Butlers etched windows in the public bar were smashed and replaced by plain/frosted glass in c2006. Due to heavy storms in the latter part of 2008 the building, particularly on the first and second floors, and also the clock tower, has suffered significant water damage and they are currently unusable. It is believed plans are being drawn up to carry out repairs and possibly a conversion of upper floors to flats. The car park is owned by the local mosque, who do still allow customers of the pub to use it. Statutorily listed in 2009 following a successful application by CAMRA.