The Ivy Bush

Last time I looked (about a week ago) this was still open but it has closed a couple of times recently and if rumours are to be believed is heading that way again. It’s kind of easy to see why as well — I generally like going to pubs in the afternoon and could wax lyrical about the smell of lager and furniture polish, dust motes catching the dying afternoon light etc etc but if you head to the Ivy Bush in the day the first thing you’ll notice is a) how dirty the carpets are and b) how many rips there are in the seats. Not recommended then.
It’s quite big inside with lounge and bar areas and a back room where they used to do karaōke but in recent years it’s moved more towards serving food (I think there were plans to turn it into a Chinese restaurant) before changing back to a pub.
Rumour has it that Tolkien used to drink here and a friend of mine swears that the jukebox used to be one of the best in Birmingham with Northern soul classics galore — but I’ll have to take his word for that. If your interested in the Tolkien connection to this area it’s worth taking a right as you come out of the pub and heading towards Waterworks Road — you’ll be confronted with Perrot’s Folly which is rumoured to have inspired one of The Two Towers in Lord of The Rings.