The Phoenix

 There’s something a bit special about pubs that are situated in busy town centres. These places are refuges for firstly, considerate husbands, ‘I’ll pop to the pub while you go shopping luv so I don’t get in your way’. Secondly, battle weary shoppers who contemplate whether they’ve got time for another pint before the Iceland choc ices defrost, and finally,  gamblers celebrating/commiserating after watching the closing stages of the 4.15 at Kempton in the nearby bookmakers. 

Nestled between the Little Dessert Shop and Mobi Shack The Phoenix is a great example of a town centre pub. Their website proudly states that visitors will ‘always be guaranteed a friendly welcome’ however I was quickly checking the T & C’s during my recent visit as whilst ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor’ by The Artic Monkeys was playing when I entered,  the lesser known Mardy Bum by the Sheffield four piece would be a more apt number to describe the member of bar staff who served me !! Maybe I’m just bitter because, despite me thinking I’m still a young buck, I was asked whether I wanted my pint of real ale in an old man’s style jug !!

The pub prides itself on the quality of their ales and they usually deliver but the pint of Holden’s Golden Glow I had during my recent visit could be described at best as lifeless. I could claim that it was as ‘flat as witches tit’ however anyone who is familiar with the performance of Alyssa Milano in Charmed will understand the inaccuracy of this statement!!

The pub is popular with young folk at weekends though if any of Tamworth’s ladies want to check themselves out in the pub’s mirror they’d better be wearing a very high pair of heels !!

I’m told that youngsters pop in for shots on their way to clubs and knock back Jaegar bombs, Glitter bombs and Skittle Bombs. Sadly there isn’t a drink named after classic 1970’s joke shop prank Stink bomb however during its’ early days Birmingham real ale pub The Wellington was notorious for recreating a similar odour during busy periods !!

My recent visit to The Phoenix coincided with the first test between South Africa and the British Lions and despite the fact that music (which in all honesty on a Saturday early evening wasn’t too bad but it’s undoubtedly a different beast as the night goes on) replaced the commentary there were numerous screens dotted out around the pub so I could watch the drama unfold and remain bemused how a team can be offside when they are defending. It should be be noted that once every four years, and at no other point, it is permissible to bellow Come on you Lions !!

Sadly I felt slightly underdressed in the alcove of the pub in which I situated myself as I did not receive the memo that stated that coloured Adidas trainers were mandatory. 

Although called The Phoenix and seemingly with evidence to support the claim…

…the pub has no affiliation with the working men’s club near Bolton however I’m sure Brian Potter’s nemesis Den Perry has designed the access to the beer garden…

Reasonably priced food is available with options for kids (as the venue is child friendly) however I’m not sure if the latest offerings on the menu of, amongst other things, fish fingers, chicken goujons, sausages and beef burger are from the Jamie Oliver healthy meals for families cook book. 

‘Classics and a drink’was something that stood out for me from the special offers on Fridays as I love a bit of Holst’s Planet Suite when knocking back a few pints however the ‘classics’ referred to were disappointingly nothing more exciting than mini fish and chips etc 

The pub also puts on live gigs with a soul night coming soon featuring songs from The Blues Brothers, The Commitments etc however it was a booking from a while back that caught my eye. ‘Agnetha sings ABBA’ a tribute by Suzy Hopwood stated the flier. Though a quick look at Suzie’s CV and Mamma Mia I discover that she’s also ‘The UK’s No 1 Kylie Minogue tribute’!! If you think that’s it then you should be so lucky she’s also Madonna and Debbie Harry !! I’m gonna keep my eye out at The Phoenix to see when the musical chameleon morphs into my favourite blonde Wendy James. 

I left this great pub and was amused to see the following window display in the shop opposite..

….apparently Brian May goes Radio Ga Ga when Anita Dobson slips into this little number !!