The Old Court House, Kingswinford

Great ale selection and super value is the verdict at village's former seat of justice,

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Some of you have probably been waiting for years for this moment. And now it has finally happened. The Insider finds himself in court.

As the judge, I might add. And I suppose I should add the disclaimer that it is actually a former courtroom where I find myself weighing up the evidence.

Before it was converted to a pub in 1900, this was where the wrong 'uns from the area would have got their comeuppance.

And there were no namby-pamby sentences then. Thieves finding themselve before JPs in the 19th century could expect to end up working a prison treadmill for six hours a day. Juvenile offenders would spend their days pinned to a wall in a straitjacket.

Mind you, even in Victorian times, there were signs that the justice system was starting go soft: public whippings were abandoned in the 1830s.

The Old Court House is in the heart of the old Kingswinford village, long before the emergence of Market Street and Townsend Square as the hub of community activity.

The high volume of traffic which travels through today's High Street does, to a certain extent, cut the Old Court House off from the rest of the old village. However, the view of village green and the tower of the 12th century St Mary's Church still serve as a reminder of a time when life was lived at a gentler pace.

There is a good-sized level car park at the back, and a further overflow car park across the road - perhaps another throwback to the days when the horse and cart was king of the road. Wheelchair access is no problem either, providing you use the rear entrance.

The old part of the building, at the front, serves as a lounge bar, and mixes period features, such as wooden ceiling beams, with modern bucket seats and tall tables with stools. It is quite an attractive look, creating a relaxed, laid back ambience.

Whoever selected the ales on offer at the bar is clearly a person of great taste, with both Pardoe's Bumble Hole and Enville Ale on tap. These are two of the finest ales from our region, Bumble Hole being a malty, copper-coloured bitter, Enville a light, honey-flavoured brew. Bumble Hole or Bumble Bee, you might say.

It was a tough choice, but I decided Bumble Hole, at 5.2 per cent was a little strong for this occasion, and plumped for the Enville. Had Pardoe's Original been on offer that would have been a different matter, though; it's my favourite beer in the whole wide world.

The restaurant is in a huge modern conservatory at the back of the pub, and is in the style of an American diner. It is a large, open plan room, with Venetian blinds hanging in the big expanses of plate glass. There is a raised area in the middle of the room, surrounded by wooden balustrades. It all looks quite smart, it's just a shame it bears no resemblance to a courtroom, which is surely the pub's unique selling point.

We were offered a choice of tables by the friendly young brunette who greeted us at restaurant reception. While the bar seemed to be quite busy, attracting quite a young clientele, the restaurant was less than half full, which is a little disappointing on a Friday night.

There is a broad spectrum of different types in the pub, from the elderly couple sat in the corner, the family group spanning three generations in the middle, and the party of around a dozen ladies sat along the back window.

The large card menu focuses mainly on simple pub food, sometimes with a bit of a twist, such as Black and Blue, an 8oz rump topped with black pudding and Stilton. It is mainly meat and fish, although there are a couple of vegetarian mains. Prices are reasonable, ranging from £5.50 to £12.10.

While there was plenty to tempt me, the carvery caught my eye the moment I walked through the door. A "VIP carvery", no less. I just love the idea of the Queen queuing up at the counter, "One would like two slices of turkey and two Yorkshire puds, if you so please."

While I think the VIP claim might be stretching credibility a bit, I would say it is definitely a cut above your average carvery. I was quite taken aback by the generosity of the helpings; the slices were carved deep and round, and there was a big choice of vegetables.

It was generally good, too. The meat was nicely cooked, with a crispy edge, and I would say the beef was particularly good.

The gravy appeared to have been made from genuine stock, rather than the out-of-the-packet variety, which was a good sign, although the small, bullet-shaped carrots appeared to have seen some kind of mechanised process.

My dining companion went for fish and chips, which came in good time (I was given a ticket so I could pick up my carvery when I wanted), and the fish was of a size that resembled a small whale; it was all good stuff, although neither of us managed to finish. I can only assume that the, er, larger-than-life, gentleman on a neighbouring table is something of a regular.

Under normal circumstances, I would probably have gone for the chocolate fudge slice or the sticky toffee pudding for dessert, but after my huge main course, I wanted something a little lighter. The lemon meringue proved to be a pleasant way to round off the evening, and was good value at £3.50.

As I'm in court, I suppose it's about time I outlined the charges: the total bill came to £23.79. And the verdict? Well I think it represents very good value for money.

You have to be realistic and realise that at these prices you are not going to get a Michelin-starred dining, but the food was all enjoyable, and you get plenty of it.

Admittedly it would have cost more had we not gone for some of the cheapest items on the menu, but I think that is what this type of place does best. There aren't that many places where you can enjoy two hearty meals and some of our region's finest ales for less than £25.

Best of all, it gave me the opportunity to unleash a few judicial puns.

I dunno. Sometimes I'm a law unto myself.

ADDRESS

The Old Court House, 55 High Street, Kingswinford, DY6 8AX

Tel: 01384 274813

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Melon douro £2.70; Barbecue spare ribs £3.70; Crispy potato skins with a choice of ham and melted cheddar cheese or cheese and red onion, served with sour dip cream £3.70

MAINS

10oz ribeye steak with sweet corn, chips, sauted mushrooms, onion rings and lightly grilled tomatoes £12.10; Black and blue - 8oz rump topped with black pudding and Stilton cheese £10.99; Cheese and bacon burger with salad and chips £7.15; Lamb shank and red currant gravy with peas and mash £8.80; Vegetable lasagne £6.60

DESSERTS (all £3.50)

Caramel apple pie; Ice cream sundae; Sticky toffee pudding