Bratby Bar

I have been wanting to check out this place for a while, as I commute via University Rail station everyday. I wasn’t sure if I needed a swipe pass for entry as the bar is situated in Birmingham University’s ‘Staff House’, but I was assured by a member of staff that anyone is free to enter. That is excepting undergrads, who apparently they can spot ‘a mile off’.
The idea being that it’s a quieter, more ‘chillaxed’ place, in contrast to the party atmosphere of the popular undergrad venues.
A friend and colleague of mine attends an evening Spanish class at the university. I felt that this was enough justification to stop off for a post work pint at the Bratby.
We arrived at 5pm, and found sure enough we didn’t a pass to enter, but we couldn’t get into the bar, as it didn’t open until 5:15pm. We were happy enough to wait on the plush sofas that line the entrance and window of the building for 15 minutes. When it got to quarter past, although we were waiting practically outside, we found that we weren’t the first ones in.
The reason I wanted to try it out, is because they are the only bar on campus that serves real ale. I’m a bit of a pub geek as well as a beer geek. On the bar they had Greene King Abbot Ale and a guest from Everards, as well as Coors’ Blue Moon on keg.
I opted for the Everards, which was £3.30 — more of a standard price than a subsidised one, but I wasn’t complaining. The beer was fine, clear well presented, nothing wrong with it, it just wasn’t that exciting.
The décor is erm… canteen with a bowling alley carpet; a bit like one of those large out of town, branded, eatery pubs — only much smaller. The views to outside are obscured by some bad paintings of sunflowers. I can’t help but think, had they offered creative courses at the university, their choice of art might be more interesting. We sat on a chocolate covered sofa below a television playing ‘vintage’ music channel.
There was around 20 people in the bar by the time we left. I could see it staying steady as the evening progressed and more people knock off shift.
I will almost certainly return, mainly as I get off the train at uni station, so it’s a close beer before heading home. I would recommend it, if you happen to find yourself on campus. Otherwise it’s not really worth travelling across town to visit. If you do find yourself in the area with more time free, it’s just a shot walk to Harborne High Street and the plethora of bars contained therewith.

As other reviewers have pointed out, everyone on campus refers to the Bratby Bar as Staff House. That’s really the building it is located in where you can find it on the ground floor over-​looking the green.
Undergraduate students aren’t allowed inside and as such it is a small sanctuary for postgraduates and staff, although as far as I am aware members of the public are welcome!
The décor and furnishings do leave a little to be desired, there are a few sofas but mostly canteen type tables and chairs and my foreign colleagues cannot quite get over that there is carpet (complete with jazzy pattern) on the floor.
Its open at lunch times for a few hours and is a good stop for a baguette or jacket potato when every other establishment is literally heaving with students. If you’re also partial to a lunchtime pint, this is your place.
The drinks are a bargain but the selection is limited and in general is restricted to no more than three of each type of say, bottled beers. They do however have quest ales that change regularly.
I have spent many happy evenings here and the atmosphere is generally good. It tends to be populated by larger groups of colleagues that are celebrating, commiserating or generally getting together.
There is one TV screen that in general is showing sports or a very random music channel. There is also table football which is highly in demand and well worth challenging a stranger to a match. But other than that no music or entertainment. On a Friday night, the bar is packed and often drinkers spill into the corridors and seating areas outside so get there early if you want a seat and maybe go somewhere else if you particularly want to be heard!
In the summer you can spill out onto the grass and soak up the sunshine and the amazing campus.

A cut above the other bars on Birmingham University campus, Bratby Bar is more the sort of bar I like. With a rotating selection of real ales and a more old school approach to décor, this bar not only beats the other bars on campus but also beats most of the bars in Selly Oak. Admittedly, if you’re looking for a starting point for a wild drinking session, then this probably isn’t the best place to come as it’s much more of a quiet-​pint-​at-​the-​end-​of-​the-​day kind of pub. Recommended to university staff and students who’s tastes require a bit more than pseudo sophistication and an average bar selection.

I’m not sure Bratby Bar (most people call it Staff House though) is actually open to anyone other than university staff or students but then again given it is a little bit reminiscent of the kind of drinking establishments that might feature in Life on Mars, perhaps this is just indicative of the fact that a) not many people know it exists b) you’d only want to go there if you worked or studied on campus. Actually I don’t mean to do it down at all — if you want a quick end-​of-​the-​day pint and can’t be bothered to walk into either Selly Oak or Harborne then this is a perfectly decent place to spend your time. The beer is cheap; food is also served during the day and also pretty reasonable. The décor is nothing to write home about but the staff are efficient and in the summer you can sip your pint on one of the outside tables — which offer fab views of the clock tower and main library.

Ah, Staff House (real name: Bratby Bar, but no-​one calls it that), many a happy PhD evening was spent here. Many of my colleagues ended up here literally every day of the week, but myself it was more like twice a week.
This is where you want to go for a quick end-​of-​the-​day pint if you are a university staff member, or just want to meet some interesting PhD students. If intellectual networking is what you want to do, then this is the place to do it. I don’t think that undergrads are specifically banned or anything, they just tend to stay away.
Quite cheap food is served. They have a pool table (again cheap) and the beer is cheap! The décor is nothing to write home about, but after a few pints of Deuchar’s you’ll not care too much.
I’d never say that Staff House was great, or even good, merely a happy part of my life.