Seven great Shropshire pubs named in new Telegraph Best Pubs guide - is your local on the list?

Some of the many welcoming pubs in the West Midlands have now been named among the best in the country in a prestigious guide.

Thirty West Midlands pubs, spread across Shropshire, Birmingham, the Black Country and Staffordshire, were named in the Telegraph’s The Best Pubs in the UK 2026, a guide to the best pubs in the country.

The guide, which was put together by a panel of experts from the national newspaper, showcases 650 pubs, with 500 in England, 75 in Scotland, 50 in Wales and 25 in Northern Ireland, and is based on criteria for inclusion of charming character, welcoming staff, rich history and award-winning beer.

In the West Midlands, 25 of the pubs returned to the list from the 2025 guide, while The Blood Bay in Ludlow and The Prince of Wales in Shrewsbury are among those new to the 2026 guide.

There are seven featured pubs in Shropshire and 10 in the Black Country. The award-winning Bailey Head in Oswestry, winner of CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year in 2024, is among those to feature.

Some of the most notable heritage pubs were also included in the guide, including the Three Tuns Inn in Bishop’s Castle and The All Nations Inn in Telford.

The guide said the Three Tuns Inn was an “historic inn beloved by the local community” which, after a tough few years, has maintained its place in the community, selling the beers of the famous brewery adjacent to it.

Meanwhile, one of England’s classic ‘homebrew’ pubs in the All Nations Inn is much praised by the reviewer, who said it was a remarkable pub with a boisterous room and a large garden.

The full list of pubs named in the Telegraph’s The Best Pubs in the UK 2026 guide is as follows:

Shropshire

• The All Nations Inn - Telford
• The Bailey Head - Oswestry
• The Blood Bay (newly added) - Ludlow
• The Golden Lion Inn - Bridgnorth
• The Prince of Wales (newly added) - Shrewsbury
• The Railwayman’s Arms - Bridgnorth
• The Three Tuns Inn - Bishops Castle

Black Country

• The Beacon Hotel - Sedgley
• The Fountain Inn - Walsall
• The Great Western - Wolverhampton
• The Manor Arms - Rushall
• The Old Swan Inn - Netherton
• The Pretty Bricks (newly added) - Walsall
• The Robin Hood Inn - Amblecote
• The Unicorn - Wollaston
• The Vine - West Bromwich
• The Vine Inn - Brierley Hill

Birmingham

• The Anchor (newly added)
• The Bull
• The Colmore
• The Craven Arms
• The Jewellers Arms
• The Old Moseley Arms
• The Prince of Wales (newly added)
• The Woodman

Staffordshire

• The Anchor Inn - Stafford
• The Brushmakers Arms - Oulton
• The Red Lion - Rugeley
• The Swan Hotel - Brewood
• The Tamworth Tap - Tamworth