Top 20 Pubs: Post Office Vaults, Birmingham

This is a classic station pub, albeit it is a two minute stroll from Birmingham New Street Grand Central.

Of course, whilst the glossy new cosmopolitan station in England’s Second City has suitably glossy bars such as Slug & Lettuce/All Bar One etc, this little cracker retains the feel of old skool Brum tucked away as it is in an old Post Office depot.

It’s down some stairs, it’s bijoux so I’m not sure what will happen when the lockdown is eased next month but it is an absolute gem.

I am pretty sure it has a Bar Billiards style table (Mark Shirley will need to confirm!) but it sells oodles of bottled beers you’ve never heard of and lots of cask.

It claims to sell Birmingham’s biggest amount of foreign bottled beers although with Carlsberg’s takeover of Marston’s that might change with Carlsberg and Tuborg set to saturate every Midlands town!

However, this place is hugely atmospheric and the time I blogged about the PoV  – to its mates – it was a rumbustious Saturday night in January 2018 after an FA Cup tie between Birmingham and Burton Albion…what do you mean you don’t remember the famous 1-0 win?

Anyway, there is always a real mix of young, old, male, female, wine drinkers, beer drinkers and it welcomes all sorts.  Although there were a few raised eyebrows as a Stoke fan shouted loudly following the news that Mark Hughes had been sacked – read about it here – and that’s not the norm in the Post Office Vaults.

It’s a classic and should be on everyone’s ‘must visit’ pubs when they jump off the train at New Street as it takes some beating.

I even heard a rumour that Dave Southworth has been here, which gives it the ultimate symbol status…