 Looks nice, doesn't it??? 
Doing The Harborne Run!
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Recommendation added: 28/06/2006 19:26
By: dewberry (YSUK rating +649)dewberry has been thanked 1 times for this contribution
"On Harborne High Street (in fact one of the original pubs from the old 'Harborne Run') there's a cracking pub called The Vine. Although I used to drink here as a teenager, this place has been refurbished so many times in the last few years that it's now virtually unrecognisable.
During the day The Vine is popular with older drinkers and while it's busy, the pub is pretty quiet. Basic pub food is served of the 'everything with chips' variety including steak, scampi, pie and fish; all of which is always well cooked and obviously fresh. I won't dwell on the food, however, as this pub is one of those places which is known for its drinking atmosphere rather than it's menu.
The pub is one big room with a long central bar; one end of the room seems to be reserved for the people who are eating, while travelling round to the other end you'll find pool tables, a dart board and several TV's constantly tuned into Sky Sports News. Against one of the walls in the middle of the pub is the famous DJ kiosk which is where one of the regular DJ's will do his stuff on a Friday night.
The DJ's are all, incidentally, brilliant. None of your chav lads spinning a few discs for the price of a couple of pints here, these are obviously experienced DJ's who I've been told all have club experience. The music ranges from Pop and Hip Hop to Reggae and Speed Garage, with the obvious smattering of footie related anthems during June and July! A good sized dance floor is created by staff moving several tables and chairs to the side of the pub and thanks to the cheap beer served at The Vine dancing usually starts pretty early!
On a Thursday night there's a brilliant karaoke which you don't need any talent to take part in – one of the things I love about The Vine is how damned nice people are, even Jordans singing would get a round of applause here…
The atmosphere is this pub really is brilliant. Customers are friendly and while it gets a bit rowdy at night, it's all generally good hearted fun. There's security on the door at the weekends and if there's any special entertainment booked, and this is why I think The Vine has the reputation for one of the best behaved pubs along the Harborne Run. I've seen a few fights in there, don't get me wrong, but the pub is pretty much trouble free most of the time.
The Vine serves a very good selection of drinks; bottled and draught lager, cider, branded spirits, alcopops and wine are all available at very reasonable prices. A pint of Carling costs £1.90, while you can buy a decent bottle of wine for around £9 – as usual the alcopops are overpriced at £2 - £2.50 for a bottle which you could buy in the off licence for 99p, but this is the norm in any pub you go to. They quite often have those promotions where if you buy a spirit and mixer they'll make it up to a double free of charge, which is always good when you're going out with the intent of getting legless!
Staff are very friendly and most of them are as helpful as possible, they're pretty clueless about the menu but will happily go and fetch the chef if you have any questions they can't answer. The pub is kept clean and tidy thanks to the designated glass collectors who roam around the tables, emptying ashtrays and taking the used glasses away.
There's complete access for disabled visitors thanks to wide doorways, ramps and plenty of space between seating and tables. The huge (and very well lit) car park at the side of The Vine has several disabled parking spaces close to the entrance which makes it easy for visitors with mobility problems to get into the pub.
To find The Vine by car drive along A456 Broad Street in Birmingham City Centre and follow this road for approximately two miles until you reach Norfolk Cross. Here turn left along the B4129 Norfolk Road, signposted Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and carry on driving until you see a main set of traffic lights, turn right here onto Harborne's High Street. The Vine is located roughly a mile down the High Street on the left.
Alternatively you can catch an array of buses from the City Centre, probably the best one to get is the number 28 from Corporation Street which will deliver you practically to the door and is the most direct route. A taxi from Birmingham Centre costs around £8, and getting one home at chucking out time is easy thanks to the unofficial taxi rank which seems to develop in The Vine car park during the evening.
The Vine
310 High Street
Harborne
Birmingham
B17 9PU
Tel: 0121 4260901"
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