Pub giant Stonegate promised to reopen two of its flagship pubs in Westside by March 1, and both The Brasshouse and Slug & Lettuce were festooned with giant balloon arches on the big day.
On Friday morning, the weather offered downpours and even hailstones but inside the welcomes were as warm as hot, buttered toast, as you can see in our special opening weekend video below.
Staff members in both pubs were buzzing to be back at work after many had been off for a month, and customers were enjoying being back in their favourite places, now looking top dollar thanks to two brilliant makeovers.
The Slug & Lettuce was especially busy on Saturday – and this weekend there’s also the prospect of Mother’s Day weekend to look forward to.
As Westside World revealed last week, Stonegate has invested almost £1 million across the two sites just off Broad Street at Waters Edge, Brindleyplace.
Although it only first became a pub in 1990, the Brasshouse dates back to 1781 and has lots of old images of Brum on its walls. The industrial arched walkway (main image above) that you can see from the main front door looks especially impressive after the pub’s restoration.
I tried something I’d never had before – a fish finger sandwich wrap (£7.99) served with fries and lettuce, accompanied by a half a pint of Silhill Breweries’ triple hopped pale ale, Brasshouse Blonde (4.1%, £2.80), which slipped down very nicely.
The ‘hand battered’ fish in the wrap with lettuce and tartare sauce tasted fresh, and the fries were properly hot. Only the presentation of the undressed lettuce bits on a rectangular platter let the side down.
Over at the Slug & Lettuce, where there’s a bespoke cocktail party table and a loo corridor with a pair of ‘Instagramable’ selfie wings on the wall, Sunday’s much improved lunchtime weather saw the bar becoming increasingly busy.
Our food arrived within a perfectly acceptable amount of time after ordering. I had a full breakfast for £10, including a pair of meaty sausages, a lovely flat mushroom, very tasty tomatoes, crispy hash browns, beans and two slides of toast.
The two rashers of bacon didn’t have crispy fat in the way I always prefer it and they weren’t as warm as the sausages, but the poached egg was perfectly runny and the meal was very satisfying.
Celebrating Mother’s Day a week early, my wife was delighted with her chicken and bacon sandwich on Italian-style bread, served with good fries (£11.50). When it was first presented she thought the bread might be too dry, but it was nothing of the sort.
Our £26.50 bill was rounded out with a Diet Coke (£3.45) and a better value Fever Tree ginger ale (£1.55).
All Stonegate pubs on Broad Street are currently pushing the MIXR app – sign up and you can claim a free drink. Full details at www.mixr.co.uk
Personally, I always prefer to queue up and order at the bar – and had engaging chats with staff at both venues as a result. And, in my book, that’s half of the reason for going anywhere.
Both pubs have power packs that can be hired to recharge your phone. The cost is £3 for an hour. The Brasshouse is still hosting live music on Sundays with themes on some other nights.
Pictures and video by Graham Young.
ENDS
