In life, people like moral certainty. Not least in the world of hospitality, where, for we Guardian types in particular, the superiority of indie, owner-operated pubs, restaurants and hotels is an article of faith – one usually borne out by reality.
We disdain chains as cynical corporate behemoths which, pumped full of private equity money, are determined to make us accept their bland mediocrity. Except that – whisper it – not all chains are the same. Take Peach, for example. You may scoff at its PR flannel (“Peach is not a chain, it’s a group of like-minded enthusiasts”), but undeniably this 17-strong pub group is a relative maverick. It has, for instance, published two novels by co-owner Jo Eames: you will find Not Only the Good Boys by your bed at The High Field Town House.
Importantly, Peach is not churning out identikit venues; instead, its pubs (most are in villages and market towns in the Midlands and south-east) are individual entities run with some autonomy, which is evident in their menu designs. Peach is also trying to differentiate itself on quality.
Its new, 12-bedroom High Field Town House is a case in point. It is in the wealthier half of Edgbaston which, while only a half-hour walk from Birmingham New Street, feels worlds away. The leafy streets are lined with huge (whitewashed) Victorian villas now home to fee-paying schools, private clinics, banks and, opposite High Field itself, the Michelin-starred restaurant Simpsons.
The Town House and the adjacent High Field pub are of a piece with all this luxury, albeit in an entry-level way. The pub is a swanky affair: a slick extension of an art deco building which, through huge retractable glass doors, opens out onto well-groomed terraces. There are expensive finishes. There are ornamental champagne buckets. There is a “flutes and fizz” menu. Naturally, this attracts a certain crowd. I have never seen so many people dolled-up in designer duds on a Tuesday night.
If the pub is borderline bling, the Town House (smooth key-pad entry/ self-check-in; although I had to chase the notification email for the code) is both more dramatic in its juxtaposition of retro and modern design features, and more sedate in its overall effect. A listed Victorian building, its (large, quiet, broadly well-equipped) rooms are decorated in soothing Farrow & Ball tones and dressed with beautiful antique beds and wardrobes. These are artfully offset by contemporary digital print wallpaper (in my room, a hugely magnified section of an ornithological painting), quirky lights and stylish armchairs. So-so toiletries and hollow-fibre pillows apart, it is difficult to criticise these bedrooms: they are handsome spaces.
Certain elements of the transformation may irk (that jazzy hallway carpet, those framed Dean Martin lyrics on the stairs) and that matey “gone to the pub” sign on reception may not amuse (reception is manned from 8am-4pm) if you actually want something from the sunny, highly obliging staff. Though note: the Town House has its own small lounge and honesty bar for late-night drinks.
Over in the pub, the menu is among the most sophisticated in the Peach estate – with mixed results. A lightweight, ineffectual mini-loaf and then salt beef croquettes (the salt beef lost in an overly sweet, gluey béchamel, £6.75) are drab openers. The kitchen is better at the classics. Lemon sole with samphire, girolles, new potatoes and butter sauce offers a good interplay of woody, earthy and salty, creamy flavours (£19.75). The sticky toffee pudding is an accomplished rendition. At breakfast, eggs benedict cleared the difficult hurdle (the Hollandaise was spot-on), but was a bit mean on the ham and served on insubstantial English muffins. It could have been better.
Nonetheless, in a city that lacks interesting accommodation, The High Field Town House is useful to know. Compared with its characterless big-brand rivals it is, yes, a peach.
• Accommodation was provided by The High Field Town House (0121-647 6466, highfieldtownhouse.co.uk, doubles from £110 B&B). Travel between Manchester and Birmingham provided by Cross Country (crosscountrytrains.co.uk)
Ask a local
Sai Deethwa, owner of Thai street food stall Buddha Belly
• Eating
The burgers at Original Patty Men are outstanding. OPM started as street traders, and Friday night’s Digbeth Dining Club is the place to be for wicked street food.
• Drinking
For an intimate gin bar with knowledgable staff, try 40 St Paul’s. And Cheval Blanc wine bar has got everything right: incredible selection, comfy, plenty of chat but not too loud. I’m always in danger of staying too long.
• Shopping
Get a feast for the eyes, nose and belly at Birmingham indoor market. The oysters at Pearce’s Shellfish are a must. In Great Western Arcade, I also love Anderson & Hill deli and Loki wine shop.
• Visit
Birmingham has the UK’s oldest working cinema, The Electric. You can enjoy wine with your movie and there’s even waiter service.
Buddha Belly is at the Bond, Birmingham, 28-29 October; seasonalmarkets.co.uk
