Part of the maverick Peach chain, this pub/hotel in upmarket, leafy Edgbaston is swanky and handsome, but it doesn’t always hit the mark on the food front
In life, people like moral certainty. Not least in the world of hospitality, where, for we Guardian types in particular, the superiority of indie, owner-operated pubs, restaurants and hotels is an article of faith – one usually borne out by reality.
We disdain chains as cynical corporate behemoths which, pumped full of private equity money, are determined to make us accept their bland mediocrity. Except that – whisper it – not all chains are the same. Take Peach, for example. You may scoff at its PR flannel (“Peach is not a chain, it’s a group of like-minded enthusiasts”), but undeniably this 17-strong pub group is a relative maverick. It has, for instance, published two novels by co-owner Jo Eames: you will find Not Only the Good Boys by your bed at The High Field Town House.
There are ornamental champagne buckets. There is a ‘flutes and fizz’ menu. Naturally, this attracts a certain crowd
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