This Victorian Street-Corner Boozer Crowned Birmingham’s Most Affordable Cosy Pub – Having Only Undergone A Huge Makeover In The Summer

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There’s a chill in the air, the leaves are turning, and I’ve got no money left in my account. It could only be autumn. In the time between Halloween and Christmas, I just need somewhere cosy and cheap to keep myself out of trouble—and I’ve found the spot, The Old Contemptibles.

The Victorian-era street-corner boozer on Edmund Street has built a reputation for its unique character, eclectic drinks, and traditional food. Within a short distance of Corporation Street, Colemore Row and New Street, it’s also now been named the best value cosy pub in Birmingham—and it’s one of the best in the UK, too.

Why is it the best value cosy pub in Birmingham?

With searches for the “average cost of a pint” in the UK having surged by 12% over the past year, highlighting a growing interest in finding great value down the local in these colder months, the experts at Moneyboat have created an index ranking the best value cosy pubs in the UK, considering the following three factors:

• Total TripAdvisor rating
• TripAdvisor value rating
• Number of 5* TripAdvisor reviews mentioning ‘cosy’

The Old Contemptibles ranked in ninth place in the UK overall.

Tell me more about The Old Contemptibles…

The Old Contemptibles takes its name from the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) of World War I, who adopted the term after Kaiser Wilhelm II referred to them as “that contemptible little army.” The pub originally opened as the Adelphi Wine Vaults in the late 1700s, becoming the Albion Hotel in 1880, before finally adopting its current name in 1953, in honour of its war veteran regulars.

This year, it underwent a major refurbishment to breathe new life into the building—and it seems to have paid off. A key highlight was the transformation of an upstairs area, unused since the mid-1980s, into ‘The Expedition Room’, for private dining and special occasions. Downstairs, ‘The Campaign Room’, offers a snug and cosy retreat.

If cheap prices and cosy vibes weren’t enough, tuck into traditional pies, real ales, and a vast gin selection in one of the most distinct-looking pubs in Birmingham that wears its history on its sleeve. Just a stone’s throw from Snow Hill station, you can learn more about The Old Contemptibles by heading here.

Top 10 best value cosy pubs in the UK

1. The Old Smiddy, Glasgow
2. The Gwaelod y Garth Inn, Cardiff
3. The Queens Arms, Edinburgh
4. The Old Bell Inn, Edinburgh
5. The Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast
6. Fredriks, Liverpool
7. J.McGuffie & Co, Liverpool
8. Circus Tavern, Manchester
9. The Old Contemptibles, Birmingham
10. Ma Boyle’s, Liverpool