British Oak, Birminghamback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I was born here the second son of William Brown "Billy" to the customers and he was boss. I can see the place vividly even though it was 1954 when we left to take another Ansells Pub in Park Lane Aston - The Royal Albert - sadly now part of the Aston Expressway. Mom and Dad were hardworking and in those days had to spend a lot of time downstairs in the bar whilst my elder brother Peter and myself (Michael) occupied ourselves without the benefit of TV unlike the kids today. As a young boyI recall there was lots of re-building works going on following the end of the war and I used to que with Mom for ration books sometimes for hours on end. At the "Oak", the navvies were pounding on the pub door at 6.00 gagging for a pint of Dad's best mild or bitter. Those were the only draught beers on sale, no extra cold lager and 1664 rubbish then, just good old fashioned ale from wooden barrels, no kegs in those days. I guess Dad worked an average of between 84 - 90 hours a week and in 1958 when he died, his wage was �8 per week and we had 2 weeks by the sea in caravans etc. Wow, how times have changed, �8 now buys 3 pints if you're lucky. Dad ran a clean pub and often refused service to building site workers who presented themselves at his bar with dirty working wear. In those days you wore a tie and your best suit on Saturday and Sunday if you wanted to drink at the Oak. Sadly, Dad's asthma and chest complaints worsened and he died in a bed at the QE in March 1958, I was 14 then and never really knew him due to his long periods of slaving at the counter pulling pints breathing clouds of smoke as in those days, every one seemed to smoke and if you didn't smoke you coughed because of the smoke. I'm 67 now and could write books on the old pub and the customers but I think I'll stick to my memories of a great old pub "The British Oak".
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Pub across the road from a small housing estate close to the City centre. The other reviews sum it up pretty well, sort of place you`d be ill advised to swan into with an `I am` attitude. They could probably do without the pool table in the small lounge/bar - take care when you enter! The beer was perfectly acceptable, found a cluttered corner to sit in and enjoy it away from regulars in various luminous jackets...if you need a brickie, chippie, roofer, plasterer it`s the place to go!
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Finally found the place open yesterday.
Popped in for a quick pint, only 2 other people in there, one was the landlady.
Clean pub, friendly enough, not a bad pint of Carling.
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was a bit dubious about going in here as it looked a bit dodgy, however the punters and staff were all really friendly. there was some sort of karaoke thing on. It's a bit run down but nothing terrible, the only downside was the beer. there was no ale and the Guinness really wasn't nice when we went, i ended up leaving most of mine and heading down to the Lamp, which is where we were en route to. shame about the lack of ales and not too nice Guinness as otherwise i'd pop in again.
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This is the manager of the british oak, this pub may look like its past its time but it really hasent, its got young freindly staff, nice atmosphere on a saturday it is packed because we have a disco to suit all tastes and types of music, sunday is a steady night we have karoke so the locals can come and sing their heart out, we also are thinking of somthing we can do on a friday so if you have any suggestions just post a comment and let us now,so if you feel like a freindly warm atmosphere you should pop in to The British Oak.
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Get a few down your neck beforehand, leave your attitude problems at the door and silently but firmly chant the mantra it-takes-all-sorts to yourself and you might just have some seriously sleazy fun here. The Oak is an intersection representing all sorts of extremities of pub culture. Be respectful and go with it and you just might want to come back again. Warning: if you go looking for trouble then you'll definitely find it here pal.
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When I tried out this pub one of the regulars stole my pint, however the bar staff were very apologetic - this could be a good pub but beware of the locals!
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Visited on a Friday evening. Busy with activity centred around a pool table. Good atmosphere.
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