Drinks World

There’s something a bit weird about an off-​license on a high street. They tend to be more of a ‘local’ thing, tucked away at the end of your road, rather than next to travel agents and health food stores. These days I suppose there is call for a more specialised booze outlet selling high end goods like whisky or wine (and for specialised you can also read expensive, of course) so it’s a further surprise that Drinks World keeps going as it is pretty much just a standard outlet selling a bit of everything intoxicating — much like the old Victoria Wine chain of stores used to do. There’s a fair selection of wines and beers on offer here and the prices are ok — neither cheap, nor expensive — and the staff are friendly and willing to help, which is pretty much all you need if you’re nipping in for a 4-​pack. Fair play to them, then, for making this work when Vic Wines clearly couldn’t — they are clearly doing something right.

Drinks World is a surprisingly well stocked off-​license on Harborne High Street that sells a big range or real ales, foreign beers, luridly coloured liqueurs and Cuban cigars. They also do a large selection of ciders, perrys and cheap to mid range wines. Although if you opt for the latter I wouldn’t rely on the advice on the staff who work there — asking for a Rijoja the other day resulted in much confusion, but in the main they are helpful. I also like the minibar sized spirits they do at the till and the range of premixed drinks — gin and ton, vodka and coke etc — haven’t seen those for ages.