The Spotted Dog Digbeth

From the city centre, there are two direct routes to the Spotted Dog pub, you can either venture down Digbeth High Street and take a right down Alcester Street, or head down Bradford Street and the Spotted Dog will magically appear on your left at the corner of Warwick Street.

There has been a pub on this site for well over a hundred years. The present building replaced a much earlier structure and it is thought that the cellar is all that is left of the old pub. If you ask John the Landlord nicely, he might bring out the original deeds, which date back to the 1700s, and highlight old farmsteads and a Digbeth which would not be recognisable today.

Inside you will be greeted with a quaint old snug, a main bar and side bar with performance space for live music, film and spoken word.

The many fascinating trinkets and artefacts which adorn much of the pub interior are reminiscent of old traditional Irish pubs, they all make sense of the pub and its owners, and it all contributes to a cosy backwater pub atmosphere.

From the melted candle sticks, to the vintage radios, real ale and locals, you could easily spend your time just soaking up the friendly atmosphere. Bar snacks are also on offer with tasty pork pies and various flavours of scotch egg.

Outside plays host to a rather unusual covered beer garden, complete with manikins in fancy dress, a giant Pingu doll, dog kennel, bookshelves, chimney pots and various other brick-a-brack.

One of the main attractions of this fascinating old pub are the regular live events. From traditional Irish musicians to professional Jazz and Classcial compositions from the Conservatoire. First Sunday of each month is Sunday Classics,
alternate Mondays are Traditional Irish Music Sessions, Jazz every Tuesday and Blues on Thursdays. Monkey Club DJs also play everything from funk to bluebeat and 60s.

It was once one of the best kept secrets in the city, but as more pub chains seem to be attempting to adopt ‘independent’ style interiors, people are not that easily fooled and are prepared to seek out true Brummie boozers where they exist, and this is most definitely one worth seeking out!