Express & Star

Region's top pubs feature in prestigious beer guide

A prestigious guide to the nation’s best pubs features 76 new entries from across the West Midlands in its latest edition.

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Philip Guy outside the Swan in Amblecote. His other pub, the neighbouring Red Lion also makes the guide.

The 2024 edition of the Good Beer Guide will be launched by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) today.

A total of 386 pubs and 132 breweries feature in the guide, which features a foreword by Bruce Dickinson, front man of heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

The guide features a number of new pubs in the area, or ones that have recently benefited from refurbishment. Pubs belonging to the J D Wetherspoon chain and Black Country Ales are also well represented this year.

It was a particularly good year for the Stourbridge area, with the town securing three new entries in the guide. The recently opened Hop Vault, in a former bank vault in Market Street, makes it into the latest guide, joining fellow new entries the Duke William in Coventry Street and the Royal Exchange in Enville Street. The Red House Boutique in Foster Street East and the Waggon & Horses in Worcester Street retain their places. Just outside the town, the Foresters Arms in Wollaston and the Seven Stars in Oldswinford are listed once more.

The Royal Exchange in Enville Street, Stourbridge

Another new entry is the Red Lion in Brettell Lane, Amblecote, described as a 'smart and inviting pub, exuding class', following its refurbishment two years ago. It joins its neighbour, The Swan, which like the Red Lion is owned by Philip Guy, and the Robin Hood in nearby Collis Street.

The 18th century Holly Bush Inn in Belbroughton, a former Camra Local Pub of the Year, also retains its place, along with the Cross Inn in Kinver and the Cat Inn in Enville.