The Elisabeth Arms, Bilston

This bustling pub offers an extensive menu,

. But be prepared for a lively atmosphere.

If ever you want proof of how the Black Country has changed in recent years, here it is.

For hundreds of years, the iron and steel trade was Bilston. The earliest record of a foundry at Springvale dates back as far as 1693. The metal trade transformed Bilston from a small rural community into a noisy, bustling manufacturing centre.

And for more than a quarter of a century, the town lived in the shadow of Big Lizzy. No, not the headband-wearing keep-fit instructor who spent the 1980s encouraging TV-am viewers to get in shape to the upbeat tones of Agadoo, that was Mad Lizzie.

Big Lizzy was the workers' nickname for Elisabeth, the huge blast furnace which towered over the Springvale works, pumping out 275,000 tons of steel every year. Big Lizzy dominated the skyline for miles around, Big Lizzy was one of Bilston's most recognisable landmarks. And in 1980, Big Lizzy was sent crashing to the ground.

The closure of the steelworks in April, 1979 still brings a tear to the eye of most hardy of old Bilstonians. It was more than the loss of a major employer. It ripped the heart out of the town.

Today, Springvale is where people buy plants for their garden, or paint for their dining room, with a B&Q store occupying part of the old factory site. There is a branch of Halfords, a Matalan clothing store, a Poundland distribution centre.

Where there were once smoking chimneys, there are now smart detached houses with mock-Tudor beams.

And the only trace of Elisabeth is a pub named in her memory.

The Elisabeth Arms opened 20 years ago, beginning its life as a Harvester. It is now part of the Sizzling Pubs chain, specialising in cut-price steaks, bargain pub meals and a huge choice of salads.

As you would expect with such a modern pub, it is exceptionally well planned, with a large level car park wide doors and gentle ramps making wheelchair access a doddle.

Even so, there weren't that many parking spaces free when we called on a Friday night. But that was more down to the sheer volume of customers than any deficiency on the parking front.

In fact it was hard not to wonder if the place was actually quieter when it was a steelworks.

Packed to the rafters with loud pop music pumping out of giant speakers, it is not the type of place you will come if you like a quiet life. The flashing lights of the slot machines and the large-screen televisions showing tennis add to the vibrant atmosphere, and a constant stream of staff were seen marching in and out of the swinging grey-blue kitchen door.

It is perhaps, then, not too much of a surprise to find that it seems to be mainly the young who frequent the place.

And the place was heaving with children, again not surprising given the lively ambience, the bright colours and, of course, the special menu for youngsters.

Smart, simple and modern best describes the decor, and they seem to have left no stone unturned in packing tables into every available space.

Perhaps reflecting the child-friendly nature of the pub, there were a few food stains on the large, folding card menu.

You can hardly complain about the choice, or the prices for that matter. You won't find any fancy nouvelle cuisine here, but with around 50 different main courses to choose from, you should have no problem finding something you fancy.

Many of the dishes offer a choice of portion sizes in the form of small, regular and king-size. I'm a big fan of Cumberland sausages, but I'm really not sure I could face six of them.

An obvious choice would be one of the chain's trademark sizzling steaks, but you know me, I'm not known for doing the obvious thing. While I was tempted by the Cumberland sausages - three, rather than six I might add – the Cheddar mash did not really appeal and besides, I was quite curious to find why the Timothy Taylor steak pie warranted "Something Special" status, and the "Tipsy Steak Pie" was merely one of the "Classic Mains."

The wine list was not especially exciting, although San Orsola Pinot Grigio sparkling wine looks good value at £9.99 a bottle, and even the Piper Heidsieck Champagne does not break the bank at £24.99. There is also a choice of three Marston's ales in the form of English Pale Ale, Banks's Mild and Banks's Bitter. I decided to go for what any self-respecting steelworker would have gone for – a pint of good old Banks's Mild.

The food came pretty quickly, and while I think the Something Special billing might be pushing things a little, the pie itself was not bad at all. The best thing about it was the thick, shortcrust pastry, and the hot chunks of beef both succulent and filling. For £5.99 it is perhaps not too surprising to find machine cut chips, but they were quite pleasant, and there were plenty of them, and lots of peas. It was certainly a filling dish, and made me wonder how anyone would manage the full 1lb Tipsy Steak Pie, which was one of the King Size choices.

My dining companion went for a slightly lighter option in a smothered chicken and bacon baguette with barbecue sauce, and said it was very good, particularly given the price.

But while there were no reservations about the quality or value of the food, a small number of unruly children were stretching my patience to breaking point. One young girl, about seven years old was particularly unruly, continually running backwards and forwards. I managed to refrain from speaking out, but one of the waitresses eventually had no choice but to tell her to stop running. It worked for a short while, but she soon reverted to the same manic behaviour.

Had I been particularly decadent, I might have finished with the Megasupercurlyfudgelisticchoccaberry sundae – it is tempting just for the sake of saying the name – but after the hearty pie, I'm not sure I could manage fudge cake, raspberries, ice cream, chocolate fudge pieces, chocolate sauce and a Curly Wurly bar.

In the end I decided to go for the lemon meringue cheesecake, which was enjoyable and suitably light to finish off with.

The total bill was £20.66, which represented good value for money, and the food wasn't bad. For families with young children it is just the job, but if you cherish peace and quiet, you will probably find it all a bit too hectic.

Still, it is good that Bilston's steel-making heritage at least lives on in the name.

A real blast from the past.

ADDRESS

The Elisabeth Arms, Overfield Drive, Bilston WV14 9XW

Tel: 01902 884222

Web: www.sizzlingpubs.co.uk/theelisabetharmsbilston

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Breaded mushrooms £2.49; Char-grilled king prawn skewers £3.49; Chicken hot rocks – chicken breast pieces with Louisianna hot-pepper dipping sauce and sour cream £2.99

MAINS

Vegetable korma curry, made from chickpeas, cauliflower and spinach £4.99; Goat's cheese and caramelised red onion filo tart £4.49; Minted lamb shank with peas and mash £6.99; Beef lasagne £5.19; 8oz sirloin steak £6.69

DESSERTS

Vanilla ice cream 99p; Shortbread cake topped with layers of caramel flavoured ice cream, toffee sauce and chocolate ice cream sprinkled with milk chocolate pieces and chocolate sauce £2.99; Cadbury's caramel sponge £3.19