Cool Places
The Old Joint Stock Pub & Theatre
4 Temple Row West Birmingham B2 5NY
Located in Birmingham's banking and commerce district, the Old Joint Stock is a bank-to-pub conversion that retains all the 19th-century grandeur of the original premises, with a glass domed ceiling, mosaic floor and etched mirrors. These days it passes for a quintessentially Victorian pub, with a wide selection of ales and a food menu that has a bit more panache than your usual pub grub (the venison, port and prune pie is a glorious choice). Upstairs there's a purpose-built 80-seat theatre and a thriving local drama scene and a pleasingly broad schedule of events including music and comedy, and jazz sessions every Sunday afternoon that guarantee a chilled end to your week.
