As I arrived early on an empty stomach my first stop was in Spoons.
A reasonable hanging basket effort, perfectly parked mobility scooter, and a good cross-section of morning punters in a pub that stretches a fair way back from those front doors. Lichfield's JDW opened in 1998 and was named after the pub that once stood next to it.
On the bar I spotted local beers from Black Hole and Silhill breweries. But it was 10:30am, and I was being sensible - a breakfast only visit.
I made a goof on the app and forgot to add the hot drink to my side of two slices of toast. Without the 49p coffee it's not a bargain item on the menu - in fact, you could almost get a pint of Jaipur for the price of these two slices of bread. And to top it off they had one of those rotten toasters that only toasts one side. Bah.
Let's make up for it with a bit of sightseeing...
I ambled through the pedestrianised city centre streets with a market in full swing.
Then past Minster Pool and on to the cathedral and Erasmus House.
If the tourist board had been beaming out a 'come to Lichfield' message over the years I've completely missed it. It was the powers of Life About Football who tempted me to visit with tales of bargain Bass.
I looped back to where I'd started at Spoons, straight across the road from Beer Guide entry Beerbohm.
This is very much a Belgian-style cafe bar. Local CAMRA-type folks in the window boldly tackling the Sarah Hughes 'Dark Ruby Mild' before noon, plenty of other customers on a mix of pints and pots of tea, sat under a busy wall of pictures and mirrors facing the bar counter.
Surprisingly busy so early. Relegating me to the least convenient, least comfy table in the room.
Other than the ruby mild, cask options came from Salopian, Peakstones Rock, and this little political hot potato from Church End...
I liked the pump clip but didn't fancy the beer, opting instead for the Peakstones 'Pugin's Gold Bicentenary Ale'.
Sipping that first beer of the day, I could see the Beacon just across the road, so figured I'd call in once I'd finished.
The Beacon (20 Tamworth Street, Lichfield, WS13 6JJ)
This was previously a pub called the Pug, prior to Titanic taking over in the autumn of 2024. It's a bold place to open a pub - two GBG bars across the road (more on the second one later), Spoons as neighbours, and the Quill and Scholar two doors down with happy hour cocktails. I figure you could complete a Tamworth Street pub crawl in less than 200 steps.
The problem with the Beacon is that it was oh so painfully quiet. Two other customers around a corner, a staff member lurking behind the pork pie counter, no TVs, no music.
Sipping that first beer of the day, I could see the Beacon just across the road, so figured I'd call in once I'd finished.
This was previously a pub called the Pug, prior to Titanic taking over in the autumn of 2024. It's a bold place to open a pub - two GBG bars across the road (more on the second one later), Spoons as neighbours, and the Quill and Scholar two doors down with happy hour cocktails. I figure you could complete a Tamworth Street pub crawl in less than 200 steps.
The problem with the Beacon is that it was oh so painfully quiet. Two other customers around a corner, a staff member lurking behind the pork pie counter, no TVs, no music.
For the record, alongside six Titanic real ales, there were guest ales in the form of Cameron's Motorhead-themed 'Road Crew' and Salopian 'Oracle'.
Heading back outside, I decided to poke my head into Samuel Johnson's birthplace, now a museum and bookshop. He looked a little bit like this...
I have no answer as to why the Horse & Jockey has an elephant on its roof.
"Over 21s only" says the a-board outside, so lucky I've got some ID on me. Other than the young chap behind the bar, there were few folks inside the Horse and Jockey who were likely to fall foul of the age policy. But it was doing a decent early afternoon trade in real ale and cobs.
I perused the pump clips and ordered a pint of Batham's Best.
Plus, I had the Life After Football backup for Bass...
I get a scowl from the fella outside who spotted me taking the pub picture. Freddie McGregor 'Just Don't Wanna be Lonely' playing on arrival. Horse-racing on the TV next to a wallpaper print of an old map of Lichfield.
Bass on the bar (bad luck, Wainwright fans).
No bar staff. "She'll be back in minute" promises the local next to me between swigs from his bottle of Katy cider.
There was a wide mix of life in the George - tradesfolk in trousers with lots of chunky pockets, a chap with a whippet, an old boy with his crossword, heavily tattoed youngsters on the Peroni.
There was a moment of action in the front room when a chap barely managed to stay on his feet after sending furniture toppling.
"It's his fault," he said (possibly with some more colourful language) indicating the absentee whose chair was upended. "He's hung all his heavy shopping bags on the back of the chair and made it top 'eavy. Now I've gone and trod on his sausages!"
There was a wide mix of life in the George - tradesfolk in trousers with lots of chunky pockets, a chap with a whippet, an old boy with his crossword, heavily tattoed youngsters on the Peroni.
There was a moment of action in the front room when a chap barely managed to stay on his feet after sending furniture toppling.
"It's his fault," he said (possibly with some more colourful language) indicating the absentee whose chair was upended. "He's hung all his heavy shopping bags on the back of the chair and made it top 'eavy. Now I've gone and trod on his sausages!"
Not a bad pint, whilst not being quite good enough to tempt me to change plans and stay for a second.
Even at a bargain £2.95.
One last port of call before heading to the train station.
This was back on Tamworth Street again - one door down the road from Beerbohm.
The Whippet is about as good lookin' as micros get - plus top marks for the signage above the door. Inside there is reputedly space for 45 - 25 on the benches - although I wouldn't fancy squeezing in as the 25th patron. It felt pretty cosy with half that number in.
Having arrived in Lichfield without really clicking that it was such a picturesque and pleasant sensibly-sized cathedral city, I came away a happy visitor.
Highly recommended for a spot of tourism and pub patronage. Just don't hang your sausages on the back of your chair when you're popping for that Bass refill in the George IV.
Highly recommended for a spot of tourism and pub patronage. Just don't hang your sausages on the back of your chair when you're popping for that Bass refill in the George IV.
