Slug and Lettuce

The bait for the slug and lettuce is their cocktails and what a variety they do. The décor is quirky and it’s generally a nice place to sit and have a drink. The food isn’t top notch but I have to admit for the price, it is more than acceptable hence why I’ve eaten here so many times. The staff have always been welcoming and chatty. I can think of no reason not to pop in if your on harborne high street, so go on.

The sight of the Slug & Lettuce branding is not normally something that draws me into an establishment, so I may be bias. However, seeing one open on my local High Street, I felt I should give it a shot. The Proverbial, which occupied the space previously closed in early January — as soon as the Christmas rush was over. The pub hasn’t switched hands at all, Stonegate have just decided to rebrand it, deciding that Harborne requires a more high-​end brand than it’s previous occupant.
I’ve walked past the place whist the refurbishment was taking place, so I know that they stripped it right back. If I hadn’t have done, I would have guessed, as when I first entered I felt it looked pretty much the same. Of course this is an exaggeration as there’s some mirror tiles behind the bar, the furniture has been reupholstered, and the wood re-​varnished, their team must have worked very hard, but to me it feels the same. Perhaps this is because every table and chair is still in the same place, the layout and lighting is still the same. Actually it was EVEN darker!
What has changed are the prices, a pint of beer will now cost roughly double what cost before. It’s gone from being one of the cheapest bars on the High Street, where a beer would cost £2.50-£3.00, to being one of the most expensive with beers at £4.00-£5.50. That’s one expensive lick of paint! Admittedly the list has changed with draught additions being Brewdog 5AM Red (£5.25), and Purity Longhorn (£4.75), amongst others. The care and dedication required to keep cask ale is obviously too much for Slug & Lettuce staff. The hand pumps that once gave us sub-£3 pints of Wye Valley HPA have been ripped out, replaced by on-​trend ‘craft’ beer taps.
My friend ordered a Guinness, it was poured in one, no time given to allow the drink to settle. I wouldn’t mind if the bar was rammed and the barman was rushed of his feet, but we were the only people at the bar! At these prices I expect service level above the cheaper places down the road, not below par!
The bottle list has improved vastly too! Now bosting 16 different beers from around the world, not bad for a branded chain pub! The only highlight from the list however is Kwak, although at £5.75 per bottle, I would want the correct glassware & stand, which I doubt they have. The rest is fairly predicatable: Brewdog, Leifmans,. Meantime, Curious Brew, etc. It’s the ‘craft’ breweries with large distribution backing, like St Stefanus — the Belgian beer owned by SAB Miller.
We sat outside, where the wooden tables were original, but they’ve added some garish white plastic chairs and a strip of astroturf in the middle of the courtyard.
I can’t really judge the food as all we had was some garlic bread, which tasted exactly like Wetherspoons garlic bread. So much so, that I would say it’s the same product (probably from 3663), just cut into strips.
I don’t mind paying more, when I feel I’m getting something for it, be it service atmosphere, convenience etc. Unfortunately the S&L failed to deliver on any of these. I shan’t be returning in a hurry.