A pub inside the Amex, with darts, food, a DJ and seats overlooking the North Stand sounds like a pretty good way to watch the football.
I was invited down to try Albion's new 1901 Pub for the Premier League opener against Aston Villa and, having seen plenty about it while it was being built, I was keen to see what it was actually like.
The idea is to offer some of the perks of hospitality without making it feel too much like hospitality.
And I think they've pretty much pulled it off.
The pub has opened for the 2026/27 season as part of the redevelopment of the North Stand, sitting behind the new second tier of seats.
The first thing that struck me was the size of it. It is a huge space, with a long main bar running through the middle and different seating areas dotted around it, but it still manages to feel like a pub rather than a function room.
There are dark wood panels, booths, plenty of TVs and Albion memorabilia and pictures across the walls. Home shirts are welcome too, and plenty of people were wearing them when we visited.
By the time we arrived it was already busy and there was plenty going on.
Former Albion goalkeeper Guy Butters was on MC duties and hosting darts, while Glenn Murray was walking around chatting to supporters. There was also a DJ playing before kick-off.
It all made for a pretty relaxed atmosphere. You could have a drink, watch the early football on one of the screens or have a go at the darts without feeling like you were at a formal hospitality event.
Food is included before kick-off, with a choice of a hot dog, chicken mezze or chips on our visit.
It was fairly simple, but did the job and felt in keeping with the pub idea.
Upstairs is the separate Heineken Experience, where some tables have their own self-pour beer taps.
Back downstairs, one of the biggest positives was how easy it was to get served.
Despite the pub being busy, we barely had to queue for drinks and there were no long waits for the toilets either.
A beer, wine or soft drink is also included at half-time, which was ready to collect when we headed back inside at the break.
But before that, there was the small matter of the football.
The seats are just a few steps from the pub in the new second tier above the North Stand and the view is excellent.
You're high enough to see right across the pitch but still directly above the North Stand, so you don't feel detached from the atmosphere.
There generally seems to be a bit more of a buzz around the Amex this season too, helped by the new matchday DJ before kick-off, and you could definitely feel that from the new seats.
It was also a fairly memorable game to experience from there for the first time.
Albion were 4-0 up after just 31 minutes, with an own goal from Victor Lindelöf, a Maxim De Cuyper strike and two goals in quick succession from Jack Hinshelwood.
Villa were then reduced to ten men before half-time when João Gomes was sent off.
The atmosphere in the North Stand below was understandably pretty good by that point.
Albion saw out the 4-0 win in a much quieter second half and there was another nice touch waiting back inside afterwards.
If Albion win, those in the 1901 Pub get another free drink.
Thankfully, we got to test that particular feature.
For me, the best thing about the 1901 Pub is that it doesn't feel as though the football has become secondary to the hospitality.
You can turn up in a home shirt, have some food and a drink, play darts or watch the football on TV and then walk a few steps to your seat.
And once you're out there, you're still above the North Stand rather than tucked away somewhere that feels completely separate from the rest of the ground.
There are things that are more premium, of course. The space itself is impressive and the lack of queues makes a noticeable difference, while the view from the new seats is one of the best I've had at the Amex.
The food was fairly basic, but I'd rather have a hot dog in somewhere that genuinely feels like a football pub than a more formal meal if the whole point is to create a relaxed matchday experience.
It won't be an option for everyone either.
1901 Club memberships for the 2026 to 2031 term have already sold out, with the club now operating a waiting list.
So for most supporters, the question at the moment isn't really whether they should book it for the next home game. It's what this big new addition to the North Stand is actually like.
Having spent a matchday there, I'd say the name is pretty accurate.
It really does feel like someone has built a very big Albion pub inside the Amex.
A 4-0 win and a free drink afterwards certainly helped with the first impression.
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