City centre pub named the best in the Midlands
THE Old Joint Stock has been named the best pub in the West Midlands in the National Pub & Bar Awards.
As the West Midlands’ county representative, the Grade II-listed pub will now go through to the UK final which on Tuesday, May 23.
There are 93 other finalists in the running for the national title from counties across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Situated opposite St Philip’s Cathedral, the Old Joint Stock is a Fuller’s pub and famous for its glass cupola at the centre of an ornate ceiling.
It already has ‘Master Cellarman’ status within the group.
It has a little-known patio garden at the back and even a professional 100-seat theatre upstairs – where future productions include The Gin Chronicles (April 29-30), and Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope (May 5-6).
Built in 1862 by Julius Alfred Chatwin, the Old Joint Stock was originally designed as a library before becoming the Birmingham Joint Stock Bank.
Lloyds Bank then took ownership of the site in 1889, the year when Birmingham was given official city status.
After becoming a pub in late 1997, it is now the UK’s highest seller of London Pride beer.
Pub manager Paul Bancroft was delighted to hear the news.
He said: “On behalf of my deputy, Michael Lacey, and the rest of our 42-strong team who are awesome, we are absolutely thrilled.
“We literally get thousands of people coming through every week and have a capacity of 750800 at any one time if we have events and functions on upstairs.
“Even when we are that busy, we work very hard at keeping every customer happy.
“We haven’t just stood still here.
“Last year we had a spell selling Sadler’s Peaky Blinder beer and might bring that back again.
“We have developed function rooms and our own professional theatre which is about to go to Edinburgh this year as well as putting on shows around the country with the British School of Acting.”