Anchor

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West Midlands - Birmingham

Three star - A pub interior of exceptional national historic importance

Listed Status: II

308 Bradford Street
Birmingham, Digbeth
B5 6ET

Tel: (0121) 622 4516

Email: julian@theanchordigbeth.com

Website http://www.theanchordigbeth.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theanchordigbeth

Real Ale: Yes

Nearby Station: Birmingham Moor Street

Station Distance: 600m

Public Transport: Near Railway Station (Birmingham Moor Street) and Bus Stop

Bus: Yes

View on: Whatpub

A red-brick and terracotta pub built in 1902 for Ansells' brewery to the designs of renowned local pub architects, James & Lister Lea. Inside, a timber and glass screen divides the main public bar; a plan on display in the smoke room shows that this was one of several which formerly split up the interior into small compartments, including an off-sales accessed from Rea Street. The original counter and bar-back make up an L-shaped servery, with heating pipes running along the foot of the counter. The smoke room (now called 'lounge') behind has a hatch, modern counter, etched panels in the doors and fixed seating with baffles and bell-pushes. Between this room and the Rea Street entrance is a charming small drinking area. Typical of many of the city's pubs from this era is the Art Nouveau-style detail in the upper windows and geometric patterned glass in the lower ones.
A fine red brick and terracotta pub in the typical Birmingham tradition and built in 1902. Unlike the others, it retains a three-quarter-height timber and glass screen dividing the main public bar into two. It represents one of a pair: the other ran parallel to it creating an off-sales passage from a former doorway on Rea Street. The original counter and bar-back remain to form the L-shaped servery with mirror etched panels on the two-sided bar-back fitting. There is a vestibule corner entrance but the fixed seating looks modern. As with pubs of this date and style in Birmingham there is Art Nouveau-style glass in the upper windows lights and the distinctively local geometrical coloured and patterned glass in the main parts of the windows.

Delightful small drinking area between the Rea Street entrance and the smoke room with a colourful quarry-tiled floor, door with 'Smoke Room' etched panel and etched glass in side panels, and a hatch to the side of the servery which was the original off sales with a sliding panel. At the rear the smoke room has a another etched panel in the door, original fixed seating with baffles and bell-pushes but the counter was added in the 1960s and replaces a hatch. There is another door with 'Saloon Bar' etched panel in the lobby from Bradford Street and a hatch to the side of the servery. A small room at the rear left has been brought into use.
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