Sheriff of Tamworth

 Pubs have been closing at an alarming rate in recent years and the pandemic has made the situation worse, how refreshing it was towards the end of 2021 therefore to have a brand new one open in Tamworth town centre. Former banks and financial institutions seemingly make good locations for pubs because, just like The Old Bank House, this pub had a very different purpose in recent years, it used to be a solicitors. Go back even further and it was a home to the Willington family, one of whom was a High Sheriff of Warwickshire (at a time when Tamworth was located partly in Warks and partly in Staffs) hence the name. I thought it best to explain that as I didn’t want you to think that because the bar at  The Amington Inn was once described by a local magistrate as being like a ‘Wild West saloon’ that a sheriff had been appointed to drive the cowboys out of town !!

Grade II listed status means the building can’t display any signage however the pub is on the main drag in the town centre a stone’s throw away from The Old Stone Cross and has a desirable location over the road from a bookies and a mobility scooter shop. 

The pub must have been a very late inclusion to the recently launched Tamworth Food and Drink trail which is an excellent guide to the pubs and restaurants in the town. All 21 pubs included will be or have been included in this blog. Well, I say that but unfortunately I didn’t make it to The Coven in time (it shut down permanently a month ago) and I’m a bit scared about the fact that ATIK nightclub is one of the 21. At what age is it just plain wrong to go clubbing with the youngsters?!! 

I can only imagine that the pub got a job lot of beer barrels as not only are they being used to prop up the bar they also act as tables in the main room.

The pub prides itself on its large selection of Belgium bottled beers with around 25 currently available, I would argue that the Duvel Citra (weighing in at a frightening 9.5% ABV) is the most impressive Belgium import to these parts since Belgium born left back Pat Van Den Hauwe was plying his trade at Birmingham City !! 

As well as a good selection of constantly varying ales and a decent choice of lagers, Belgium favourite Leffe is also available on draught. In fact my first visit to The Sheriff came at end of a long session in Tamworth town centre where I decided (much against the advice of my better half) that drinking 6.6% ABV Leffe would be a good idea, it proved to be my coup de grace !! 

I decided to play it safe on my most recent visit and stuck to an ale and a packet of peanuts whilst admiring the view of William Hill and the latest range of Madge Mobiles from out of the pub window.

As you would expect there is no booming sound system playing a selection of popular music from the hit parade, however background music, at a tolerable volume, comes from a phone/iPod on shuffle. Unfortunately Lady Ga Ga telling me that her Poker Face could not be read did not drown out one of the most uninteresting conversations on the table next to me namely when is the best time in the year to plant broad beans, it would have arguably brought a visible grimace to Ga Ga’s face !!

Understandably as the pub is so new it probably doesn’t yet have the vibe and atmosphere of other more established venues but I have no doubt this will change when word of this place gets round. Funnily enough during my last visit a bunch (I’m not sure what the correct collective noun is) of pub bloggers came in to review this place however (unlike this blog’s author) they actually knew what they were doing and gave it the necessary reverence that such a task requires rather than using it as an excuse to crack Dad jokes, double entendres and football related bantz. I managed to hear (once the gentlemen next to me established that it was between February and April) that all three of them were former journalists so this brought my survey of the pub for subject matter for a schoolboy style gag to an abrupt halt !! 

So The Sheriff of Tamworth is most definitely a great addition to Tamworth’s thriving pub scene go visit if you haven’t already been (that’s b-e-e-n not b-e-a-n !!).