Gunmakers Arms, Birmingham

By M J Butcher for Ansell's Brewery, 1902-1903, with a pretty brick and terracotta exterior. The interior layout is largely unaltered, and is notable for fine tiles by Craven Dunnill of Jackfield in Shropshire. At the front, an L-shaped bar with a modern bow-fronted ply counter; sadly the the wonderful tiled counter front was stolen in 1996 when the pub was temporarily closed. Around the walls is a decorative tiled dado in brown, gold, red and shades of green; above this, beige tiles up to the ceiling; the bar-back is modern. On the right is a lobby and passage with tiles similar to the bar, and at the rear a modernised lounge with 1960s 'beamed' walls - but in this room the spectacular tiled bar counter survives.

Listed desc.: says"C.1908. Interior retains complete bar fittings with tilework throughout. The public bar itself curves round the angle of the room, it is entirely faced in rich polychrome tile work with a bombe front and panels of griffins heads, garlands and ribbons, mahogany bar top with hand pumps. The bar back is fluted pilaster composition backed by tilework and topped by Art Nouveau stained glass. In the outdoor the fittings are similar and the bar back incorporates a fine cut glass mirror." !!

Other Heritage Pubs with a ceramic bar counter are the Black Horse, Preston, Lancashire; Burlingtons Bar (at the Town House), St Annes on Sea, Lancashire; Mountain Daisy, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear; Red Lion, Erdington, Birmingham; Polar Bear, Hull, East Yorkshire; White Hart Hotel, Hull, East Yorkshire; Garden Gate, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire; Golden Cross, Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales; Crown, Belfast, Northern Ireland.