Focus Midlands: treasure island

The high street address might lead you to assume that the Bartons Arms enjoys plenty of passing trade. But the people who pass here are stuck in their cars and can only gaze longingly through the windscreen at one of the country's most famous pubs.

Since the Aston area of Birmingham was redeveloped in the 1960s the Bartons Arms has been stranded on an island in a sea of traffic. People have to have a good reason to cross the busy road and even cabs from the city centre take a convoluted route through the one-way system.

This geographical mishap has almost put an end to this great piece of drinking heritage on two occasions. Threatened by demolition in 1969, it was saved by the brewer that then owned it, Mitchells. And in the mid-1990s, following years of decline and neglect, the pub closed, apparently for good.

But in 2002 it was saved for the second time by Oakham Brewery, a microbrewer based in Peterborough that is famous for its award-winning JHB - and a brewery tap that's almost as difficult to get to as the Bartons Arms.

Oakham invested big in returning the Victorian pub to its former glory, restoring tiling and a magnificent wrought iron staircase that's now insured for more than £1m - and it also knew how to restore the Bartons' reputation and trade.

As well as the splendid architecture and Thai food, people go to the pub for the beer. Regular beer festivals are key to its success - such as the one that celebrated the reopening of the pub in February.

Three dozen beers from across the Midlands were featured over a long weekend, plus music, comedy and morris dancers. Unlike some pub beer festivals, all the beers were available all the time. At least until they ran out.

As well as pulling pints from the 15 handpumps staff are happy to bring up two-pint jugs of your chosen brew. And if you ask nicely they will take you into the cavernous cellars to taste straight from the barrels at £1 a nip.

"Beer festivals bring new faces to the pub, and not just the real-alers," says manager Mick Cashman. "They are the kind of people who might know about cask ale, but until they come here they don't realise what kind of range you can get.

"It's hard to get people in here - but it's easy to get them back. Once they have experienced the beers, the Thai food, the good service and the friendly atmosphere they just have to have more!"