33 Birmingham Pubs Featured in New Nostalgic Book Happy Hours

More than 30 Birmingham and Black Country pubs are featured in a new book, Happy Hours – A Great British Pub Diary, which takes a nostalgic look back at beloved boozers, including many that have closed since the turn of the century.

Author Mike Critchley has chronicled his 42-year journey through character-packed inns, bars, and alehouses, from spit-and-sawdust backstreet pubs to majestic Victorian drinking palaces. Since turning 18 in 1984, he has recorded and graded every new pub he has visited in a little blue notebook, tallying nearly 1,900 boozers.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

In Happy Hours, Critchley recalls highlights and low points from his 'never-ending pub crawl', including his 12 years living in Birmingham before returning north in 2001. His Birmingham journey spans from student days 'drinking the Duck dry' on Hagley Road in 1989 to quick lunchtime pints at The Queens or The Bull while working as a sports journalist at the Post & Mail buildings in Colmore Circus.

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Critchley said: 'I loved my time in Birmingham – and a big part of that was the people I met and the friendships I forged over a pint. There is a pub for all seasons in Brum – and although we have sadly lost some absolute gems it is not all bad news. The real ale offering in the city centre is now far better than it was 20 years ago and some of the bars that have popped up around Stirchley and Hockley are excellent. I still have my old favourites – and no visit to Birmingham is ever complete without nipping to The Bull, a country pub in the heart of the city.'

Personal Anecdotes and Social History

The book weaves in personal anecdotes and social history, charting significant changes to drinking culture and society. It features potted histories of Britain's finest pub buildings, observations of legendary landlords and landladies, recollections of colourful customers, and an appreciation of good beer.

Critchley, 59, who has written four books on rugby league, explained: 'I had to write this book. At a time when we are losing pubs hand over fist due to a multitude of reasons, this book is a reminder of the importance of these wonderful institutions and community hubs, and the role they play in society. The book is not a guide book, although there are descriptions of the pubs and their qualities in there. It is written as a journey through them – like a Fever Pitch with beer.'