Midlands Classic Pubs #7: Queens Head Inn Hinckley

One of the things bloggers spend far too much time doing is looking at stats.  Of course like match stats they can be completely irrelevant as I appear to be picking up far more of a global audience these days.

However, as Birmingham’s victories this season have all pretty much occurred with an inferior amount of possession then all this proves is that there are lies, dammed lies and statistics.

According to my stats I’ve had readers from all over the globe this year, but I reckon the majority are cluttering up my spam filter offering me deals to ‘increase my social medial presence.’

Nonetheless, there does appear to be a Canadian branch (Russ), American (Dick and Dave), Dutch (Paul) and Ireland, Cyprus, Norway, Malta and Hong Kong all appear on here often enough to potentially be reading this blog and not be asking me to swipe right (or is it left?) for an experience of a lifetime.

Which got me thinking, exactly which pub would I show them in the Midlands if I was going to offer them a traditional English boozer?

On pubs I’ve visited I reckon I could do far worse than looking at Craven Arms (Birmingham), The New Inn (Peggs Green), King William (Milford), The Loggerheads (Shrewsbury), The Elms (Stapenhill) and The Cuckoo Bush (Gotham).

Another quintessential British pub that would fit the bill would be Hinckley’s 345 – Queens Head Inn LE10 1RJ.

In a town that has its own Bass trail and is claiming birthrights of the master brewer along with some excellent Micros, this has been in the GBG since 2013 apparently.

I didn’t know this beforehand but it is easy to see why as it’s a classic Victorian free house with four rooms (there can’t be many four roomed boozers left) including a snug.

(that’s not a typo Russ)

Bench seating, beautifully restored furniture and dating back to 1809 mean this place is a good starting point to bring anyone visiting their first British pub.

A friendly gaffer who served me a classic half pint of excellently kept Bass

and at around 5.45 on a Tuesday there was a good atmosphere in the bar with around 20 people in, a fire roaring and music on in the background that you’ve actually heard of.

I believe the phrase is a multi-roomed, split level pub and whilst I didn’t visit the beer garden I’ve no doubt that was in top order as well.  Even the toilet has a classic plumbing system and was comfortably the smartest and cleanest I have been in this year.

A worthy entrant in the newly created list of “Quintessential British pubs I would show people visiting for the first time,” (I might need to work on the catchiness of that title)and proves the Midlands still has some fantastic hostelries left.

(scratchy picture…but you get the idea)

Any other suggestions for classic Midlands boozers?