Entertainment For Lively Minds
Your favourite pub?
Posted by clivetemple on 25 November 2010 - 6:50am.
The George Inn near Bath. 700 Years old and one of the finest examples of a coaching inn that you'll ever find. Good beers, a roaring log fire and more history than you can shake a stick at (Judge Jeffries held his kangaroo courts here). Set in beautiful countryside to me it defines the English country pub.
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It's The Dolphin for me.
That's the George at Norton St. Philip that you've nominated, I believe. They used to have a starling in a cage in the little alleyway that runs through the middle of the pub; I've had many a fine pint and some good nosh there. Good choice.
However, it doesn't quite match The Dolphin, on the Barbican in Plymouth, which is by any measure The Finest Pub In The Known Universe. Bass straight from the tap on the barrel, roaring fire. Beryl Cook paintings on the wall (she was a regular). The Barbican right outside the door, with Captain Jasper's fine international cuisine (Hawaiian Burgers with pineapple and melted cheddar, mmmmm, yum yum) ready for your eating pleasure on the cobbles only yards away. The Hoe a mere five minute stagger away. Marvellous.
Ooooerrr missus
That's a lovely frontage.
plus
it opens (or used to anyway) at 5am. The only drawback of the Dolphin is that my flat used to be uphill from it.
You must have been on Lambhay Hill or somewhere close,
pretty much in pub centric heaven. You can't, or at least couldn't, beat the Barbican for a crawl, though it has gone downhill of late, I'm told, as the area has tried to go upmarket. Whatever, I am jealous. I wish we had such a choice, but sadly the village pub here, though they try hard, bless 'em, just isn't in the same league.
It
was Elliot Terrace, slap on the Hoe, during my second stint in Plymouth. The best view I've ever had.
On the local pubs, I used to do a lot of drinking in the King's Head on Bretonside, which in the early 90s was the preferred hangout for the town punks, goths, hippies, sabs etc. All changed now, though. And The Minerva was another great pub, Plymouth's oldest I think - at any rate, my dad used to tell stories of underage drinking in there...
Nostalgic memories... but of the 70s for me.
The King's Head used to have neat crib tables, with holes to stick your pint glass in on either side, and there was a genuine snug, tucked away at the front, only big enough for about 8 people, usually full of old codgers who'd smoke foul things in pipes. The Minerva is certainly Plymouth's smallest pub, if not the oldest, and used to be a haunt when I hung out at Plymouth Arts Centre, which was just just up the road. Happy days!
There were some thoughts along these lines on this old thread...
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/the-decline-and-fall-pub with some great suggestions.
The Swan at Staines.
About three quarters of a mile up the Thames from my house is this little jewel:
Great food, lovely beer and spirits selection, fantastic location (for me), friendly staff. It has two bars, one of which is next to the excellent restaurant and has lots of lovely squashy leather armchairs and sofas. The main bar has two rooms, log fires, and is roomy without being sparse. And in summer, you can sit by the river and watch the rowers half killing themselves with exertion.
Is it 'cause I is black?
You're quite liderally part of the Staines massive.
And you're quite liderally...
...the first person ever to say that. No, really - you are.
;-)
Hey!
I'm nothing if not original.
That was my local for three months this time last year
I was working on a contract down in Staines, and the company I was working for put me up in the Anne Boleyn hotel, directly opposite the Swan.
Had some lovely meals and pints in there, but had one nasty experience when the sardines I'd eaten in the restaurant violently disagreed with me and redecorated the hotel bathroom a few hours later.
I'm sure it was the sardines. It couldn't have been all the beer. Oh no.
Me too!
As a callow graduate trainee I had a month in the Anne Bolyn in 1981 and spent every evening in the Swan. Ahh, if only I could sit down with that optimistic young man and give him a few tips.
Blimey!
We've all stayed at the Anne Boleyn and drunk in the Swan! I did my stint while wasting British American Tobacco money on a pointless IT project back in er, um, oh yonks ago.
AB
Tell you what thought, the AB is a sh*t hole, to this day I can remember the grimy window, dirty orange carpet, yellow balding bed spread and pubes in the sink. Made lots of time in the Swan mandatory.
I've stayed in better
But over the three months I was there it kind of 'grew' on me (in a good way) - probably helped by the fact I got to know the staff and they used to save one of the 'good' rooms for me.
But the bad rooms are very, very bad indeed.
And Bob, unless they've re-opened it in the last year the Chinese restaurant is no more - replaced by an Indian which isn't a patch on the posh Indian on the river the other side of the bridge. Whose name I can't remember...
Roshni's.
I don't like that place: they think they're better than they are, and they oversalt their food. The best curry in Staines is to be had at the Ancient Raj, which is a proper fuzzy-felt-tiger-and-poster-of-Bangladesh-on-the-wall old-school curry house.
That's the one
And I hear what you say - I agree that the best curries are always found where the wallpaper is flock and the pretension is low.
That said, I did have a few nice meals in Roshni's, and since I wasn't paying...
Never found the Ancient Raj, more's the pity. Why didn't you tell me about this twelve months ago?
Commiserations.
It's on the High Street, the other side of town (not that "town" is very big). To get to it, you'd have had to walk through to the end of the pedestrianised bit, under the iron railway bridge and onto the rather down-at-heel bit of the High Street - it's about 200 yards further up there.
In fact, sod it: while the "Too Much Information" noose is round my neck, I may as well jump off the "Needless Detail" horse:
It that the hotel
with the Anne Boleyn Alley? (q. The Office)
The Anne Boleyn...
...has a passable chinese restaurant downstairs, actually. There are three decent enough chinese takeaways in Staines, and not a single good chippy. I'm thinking of opening one, because the place is fucking crying out for it.
I'm thinking Rick Stein style: decent varied stock of fish, homemade batter, home-cut chips, beef dripping in the fryers (maybe some Trex in the veggie fryer, maybe not). Homemade pies, top-quality sausages, fresh tartar sauce and chilled booze. Oh, and NO SKIN ON THE FUCKING FISH! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHY WILL MY LOCAL CHIPPIES NOT SKIN THE FISH? I DON'T LIKE EATING FISH SKIN, SO I END UP WASTING A WHOLE SIDE OF PERFECTLY GOOD BATTER!
One of the happiest days I've had in 2010 was sitting with the FPO on Padstow dock with a box of Rick Stein fish and chips, a cold bottle of rosé, the plastic wine glasses that the RS chippy thoughtfully provides for nowt, and the kids at my parents' house in Gloucester. It was magic. Every town should have a properly first-rate chippy.
but surely Haddock skin on
cod skin off!
although on my first weekend of college went to an Egham chippy and not only got bones in my fish they didn't have gravy or curry sauce!!
All skin off....
...as far as I'm concerned. In my Moon Under Water chippy, you'd have the option, though.
The sardines redecorated the hotel bathroom?
Could you ask 'em to pop down here and do my kitchen next, the local firm want to charge me a fortune.
They did...
...but not in a good way.
Cowboys, the lot of 'em.
Cowboy sardines?
They must have teeny little stetsons
I said "Cowboy Sardines"
no-one got anything to say?
It's getting like QI round here
Everyone's thinking it but no-one wants to risk it and become the Alan Davies of the massive.
I reckon it'd be a reasonably trivial bit of code...
...to replace every instance of THAT PHRASE with a large, embedded Flash object saying THAT PHRASE in large, blinking white letters, accompanied by a siren.
Come on, Fraser - a little search/replace routine in the code that handles how posts are displayed would be the work of a moment!
;-)
There are
Many other ways
For us to refer to
That phrase ...
Literally dozens
Ok, I'll rise to the, er, bait.
I don't understand the 'cowboy sardines' thing.
Cue knowing guffaws.
No guffawing.
It just seemed inevitable that a phrase like "cowboy sardines" would provoke a "TMFTL" response.
There, I said it.
*klaxon*
Oh no they didn't !
Violently disagree with you, I mean. Plus why did you redecorate the bathroom. Was the avocado coloured decor not to your taste then ?
That looks nice...
will try that as I'm reasonably local, although not within staggering distance unfortunately.
I do miss having a good local boozer within safe and easy walking distance, it's 30 minutes to the closest reasonable one that doesn't have bouncers on the door at 5pm on a Monday afternoon and riot police on a Friday night!
Indeed, this was
covered but just wanted to add a few points which may be of interest.
The very great Duke of Hamilton in New End, Hampstead was saved from some god awful new housing development (for 2nd homers, not for people who really are in need) thanks to pissed off locals who had enough of Hampstead's boozers being turned into estate agents and fancy-dan shops that serve the brain mushed. Not that the landlord was at all happy about it, when I went in a few months back and asked how the campaign was going, "nothing to do with me, I just want to retire". Lovely, you just don't get grumpy landlords anymore. There is also another very good one called The Pineapple in Kentish Town (also saved from developers), serve beers I had never heard of, nice staff and serve good and reasonably priced Thai food. Think it won some award recently.
On a previous pub thread, someone was asking about the name of a pub in Marylebone/London and it just occurs to me it may have been The King's Head (opposite the Heart Hospital) and it's got a quite an arty/bohemian crowd so it may have been that one ?
Head of Steam, Newcastle
I won't post a picture because it's set into the side of a hideous office block and until recently had no windows.
Still, it's where all my mates go and has played host to hundreds of great small gigs over the years.
ARRGH! ....not the Head of Steam!
In my old band's ten year slog around the piss-poor Newcastle gig circuit, my heart would always sink when informed our next gig was at that particular hell-hole. I think it's an awful place to see a band too and the beer is poncy and overpriced. But hey, diff'rent strokes and all that...
OK to try and cheer you up
I offer - the Forth on Pink St. A bit gastro/indie but fine beer, lovely old building, good prices, couldn't be much closer to the Central station, ah real ales for goalposts etc
Word-friendly pub in Newcastle
How about the Trent House, which (like the Head of Steam) is (or at least was) owned by those responsible for the wonderful World Headquarters soul/funk/reggae nightclub. Soul vinyl records decorate the walls, free jukebox chocka with soul classics, vintage space invaders set into the table and a good pool table upstairs.
http://www.trenthouse.com/
http://www.pubsnewcastle.co.uk/TrentHouse.html
I liked the Forth too (though I only lived in Newcastle 1996-2000).
Cumberland
Sorry LS but I would see your Steam and raise you The Cumberland (Byker) . Real ale , real music , real fires where the smell of smoke is supplimented by the smell of real damp dogs scrounging crisps . And the coup de grace, more beards per square foot than a ZZ Top tribute band convention .
Gastro'd into oblivion
The Three Crowns in Scouthead used to be a proper pub. When I was 16 I drank halves of mild and played brag there with big lads who left their Triumph Bonnevilles and Royal Enfield Ensigns parked outside, but not their air of clear and present danger. Patrons could choose from a select range of beers and fine leisure facilities: bitter or mild and a dartboard (bring your own arrers). If you wanted lager, you got a warm bottle of Tuborg and a shake of the landlord's head.
Now you drink Pinot at thirty quid a pop and eat creatively capitalised food: "Chilled Seasonal Melon with an array of Citrus & Orchard Fruits drizzled with a Rich Coulis".
Jesus Christ.
King William IV
A friend and I had a great day mountain biking on the North Downs around Dorking. At 6 pm we staggered wearliy into the William IV pub at Mickleham, a delightful spot, for a restorative pint before going home. In the completely empty bar the landlord told us we were not allowed to sit down as all the tables were books. But noone is here, we cried. Eventually he allowed us to take a seat on the strict understanding that should 50 punters arrive en masse and need all the tables we would stand up again.
I am of the view that pub food should consist of peanuts, crisps, porky scratchings and a jar of yellowing picked eggs. Everything else should be in a restaurant. Pubs are crap at delivering food.
will have to beg to differ on pub food but
booking tables does annoy me if you have to book a table it's a restaurant not a pub. I love landlords like that in general want to ask them whether they want the money in my wallet or not.
Go further
I'd suggest if it does food properly it is a restaurant not a pub. Pubs are to drink in, not eat in. ;-)
Spot On.
Which is one of the reasons why the Dolphin is The Finest Pub In The Known Universe. Last time I was in there I was on a monster pub crawl with my brother and another Word contributor. We started there, but I'm not sure where we finished...
I like pubs like that
mind you I'm assuming I knew what you meant. Fairly sure you didn't end up at mine though you would of course have been welcome.
Actually my favourite specific pub is the Lamb on Lamb's Conduit St WC1 - old fashioned and beautiful. My favourite non-specific pub is any number of ropey Soho boozers - or the Crown on Seven Dials
But where I live now its the Crown Posada and here's why
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/pubs/3305388/Pint-to-pint-Crown-...
In a similar vein
A couple of winters ago, a friend and I had been out walking dogs in Delamere Forest and were desirous of a quick restorative before heading home.
So we called in at the nearest pub, the Carriers Inn in Hatchmere. Now bear in mind this is a pub on the edge of a forest that is used, daily, by hundreds of people out walking - with or without dogs - or mountain biking.
We were barely over the threshold before the landlady flew across the bar and almost bodily threw us, dogs and all, out of the pub - before we sullied her clean carpet with our slightly muddy boots and paws.
Turned out the place was getting ideas above its station and the (recently re-carpeted) main body of the pub was turned over to food and wine. Thereby, at a stroke, alienating over 90% of its likely clientele given its location. All for want of a tiled 'public bar' area at the front of the pub.
We've not been back since.
another favourite is ..
"sorry love the kitchen's just closed"
"but erm the chip pan hasn't got a time lock on it?"
"no"
" well here's half a days wages for your chef can we have 3 roasts and a cod and chips and we'll spend another 20 quid on ale while we wait cheers"
More biking
Same mate, same bikes, we ploughed through 15 miles of rain and mud on a Saturday out of Winchester and had a magnificent hearty bowl of chilli at the other end with a pint in front of the fire before ploughing back. The following day we took a different route carefully triangulated to take in the same pub to be met with the same cheery land lord, who said "Food Sir? On a Sunday Sir? Oh no sir". A bag of dry roasted wasn't at all the same. Grrr
Sadly familiar tale of British Catering Excellence.
It's December 2009, and the temperature is well below zero. I am in Northampton for a day or two, and need to find a B&B and somewhere to eat. A little light Googling suggests that The White Horse in Old, just 15 minutes north of town, might be the answer. It's 400 yards from a four star farmhouse B&B. Your correspondent decamps there after work, and checks into the B&B.
The B&B proves to be seriously average. Optimistically, I am consoled by the thought of toddling down the road for a pint and a nice nosh. The White Horse bar offers several real ales, and a pint is ordered. The ambience is non-existent, but a menu is requested anyhow; it's 3 below outside and by now it's 8 p.m. The response to the request is, "We don't do food on a Monday". FFS
John McCarthy story
This is one that does the rounds in the Woking area and the pub changes, but it is generally accredited to the Bleak House near the Six Crossroads.
Anyway, McCarthy has been released after several years held hostage. He craves a Sunday pub lunch. He stands at the bar and waits...and waits...to be served. When they finally get to him, he orders his sunday roast. Landlord looks at the clock, which has just that moment clicked past 1.30pm and says "sorry, no food orders after 1.30pm".
Other person at the bar calls landlord over and informs him who the gentleman is, and politely suggests he makes an exception. Response "I don't care if it's the Queen of England herself..." etc etc.
I'm sure we've all endured similar experiences
but I have to say the 'why oh why do we do things like this here?' subtext to this kind of discussion does annoy me slightly. The implication is always that you can turn up at any hour of the day or night in other countries and a wholesome, impeccably cooked meal will magically materialise. Ain't necessarily the case - friends who have lived in Spain and America testify to the rigidity of their serving hours.
The George Inn
I live about 20 minutes drive from there, the in-laws about ten minutes. I've never heard them mention it, I'll have to quiz the FIL at the weekend, looks like it's worth a visit.
Offer to pay for the Sticky Toffee Pudding
and make sure the FPO drives.
The Father In Law's Favourite
Turns out it's his favourite pub. He just hasn't thought to mention it to me. We're going to pay it a visit very soon.
Generally think it's the company in the pub
that makes the place. That being said here's my faves.
The Prince Albert in New cross is great top beer, good food .
The Richard 1 and the Union on royal hill (Greenwich) are both great in their own ways.
But if it's a summer's evening and your waiting for you friends to turn up you can't beat nabbing a seat in the bay window of the Trafalgar Tavern. The swollen tide filled Thames flowing beneath you, the odd ferry and barge chugging past, the early evening hubbub all around, with the low sun catching on the glasses, brasses* and smiles lasses. With a decent beer to hand you almost wish your friends would never turn up.
* horse that is
Richmond...
...is much the same for much the same reason. The pubs along the riverside are chainy and average, except for the White Cross which is better than OK, but not by much. But just the experience of sitting by Richmond Bridge on a warm evening with a cold drink, watching the sun go down - that's lovely.
Ah, I remember the Richard III
Although I spent much of my youth next door in the Fox and Hounds (we didn't know any better). British Oak in Blackheath was also good and, I believe, still is.
Ah the F&H
they used to have some gorgeous Irish music (and musicians) in there on a Saturday night. Run by an ex-boxer.
Now it's the Union, the beer is better but it's like a bloody creche.
Went on a pub crawl in Albert Road Southsea a few weeks ago..
A relative of me wife owns a microbrewery in Portsmouth, and he had a small "Oktoberfest" involving a tour round all those taking his ale. Involved venue after venue of victorian English drinking emporiums. Fantastic....
Albert Road..
There's some cracking juicers in that part of Southsea tucked away down some of the backstreets.
aye
When I lived in Pompey, my house was almost directly opposite the Fawcett Inn, where I heard the best pub quiz question ever. It was the music round, and Robbie the landlord played a couple of songs, which he announced were number three and number two in John Peel's Festive Fifty - to get the points we had to name the year and the record that was number one.
This is the same guy who used to hold a reggae night in the pub, where he had a little wooden shack built in the corner which he would sit in all night playing old 7"s. I was told recently that he'd passed away. Legend.
I like pubs..............
Nothing quite like a country pub:
my fave is The Queen Victoria in Theydon Bois which really feels like it's in the heart of the country (McMullen's Country ale, fire, Village Green, occasional Morris Dancing) but is a five minute walk from a Central Line 'tube' station.
Other times it's just the context:
December/January Rugby match over, k/o 2.15, and in my seat for the footie scores at 4.00 at The Cricketers in Woodford Green.
Or the dodgy looking, dark and compact Wishing Well on Elstree High Street which (dodginess, darkness and compactness aside) is actually a great place to have a couple of pints of Guinness before seeing Boreham Wood lose but, to all intents and purposes, is a horrible place!
Lincolnshire
This is our fav. http://www.blacksmithsarms.webeden.co.uk/#
My Father-in-Law used to drink in here in the fifties when he flew Jets in the Raf and he re-found it in the eighties. The Mixed Grill is the best thing in the world.
Ian
The Hanover Arms near the Oval
will win no prizes for decor but has been my local for a few years as a group of us live nearby. The old-school Irish landlord's large alsation is frequently found standing behind the beer taps, front paws on the bar and letting out a deafening woof if anyone is stupid enough to try and pat the nice doggy.
The trophy cabinet on the wall holds various memorabilia from our six a side team and a nice tradition has recently started in which a run of enagagements have been celebrated at the Hanover on short notice (perhaps to the distress of the other regular customers - uniformly elderly and Irish). Every time the landlord offers to go out and get some champagne but we're happy with his finest fizzy white. The first time the drinks were on the house but sadly he's now twigged that there's a lot of us and we're of a marrying age, so has reigned in the freebies.
It's worth a visit for the strange collection of Victorian prams above the bar. And Carl Barat was there one night, if that's any kind of a draw.
Former Ovaller checking in.
A former local of mine too. Good pub, although I did prefer The Fentiman because of their Sunday Bloody Mary Menu, and their fantastic quiz on a Tuesday night.
The Hanover is miles more inviting than the Greyound next door, I'll give you that.
The Greyhound is terrifying
30 year old men with no teeth who look 70 queueing up outside from 11.45 am. The place to go if you want to see a tramp fight.
wishing well, b wood
I wouldnt wish anyone to drink in there. better off going the 2 stops on the train to the home of CAMRA (it is for a reason)
I agree but...
....the 'context' is that everyone in there is watching the dreary Premiership game on the telly featuring Arsenal(third) or Tottenham or, as in last week, Arsenal(third) 'and' Tottenham and you can slip onto a stool and feel really smug about supporting the local team.
Otherwise, yep, I agree.
Oh, and quickly, can I congratulate 'Champions' League Tottenham for winning at one of the 'Big Four' on their 69th attempt.....and this time it wasn't against Arsenal(third)'s reserves as it had been in 1993!
Big four my arse...
.... where were Chelsea in the 90's? Lets not forget the disallowed 'goal' at Old Trafford, the one that cheating twat Roy Carroll dropped a foot over the line and then carried on like nothing had happened.
Lets hope Partizan do us all a favour.
Manchester city centre pubs
I think the North West Massive did well to get Kro for the last event, because as much as it pains me to say it I think Liverpool's are much better.
You sure?
I don`t know too much about Liverpool pubs but in Manchester.....how about The Britons Protection, Peveril of the Peak, the 3 or 4 pubs on Rochdale Road including the Marble Arch, The Knott Fringe, The Toilet (ok, a bar not a pub).
All excellent.
Manchester has some great
Manchester has some great pubs (the Pev, the Britons, the Hare and Hounds, the Lass, the Marble, the Circus, the Temple) but I just think Liverpool's are generally better. And cheaper.
Any pub in Liverpool
where the NW Massive hold forth.
Went to a pub in Sheffield once called the Black Cat (I think)
In the middle of the old steel making district, just down from the railway station. Real old victorian building that had been carefully restored. Had a snug for the ladies and everything. Now that was nice.
The Fat Cat
Are you thinking of this place?
http://www.thefatcat.co.uk/
Brewery tap for Kelham Island and the centre of a hub of excellent real ale pubs. Astonishing range of proper beers and good quality,very reasonably priced food.
Where we go to drown our sorrows before trips to see the Wednesday.
That would be the 'Fat Cat'
That would be the 'Fat Cat' and it is very fine. It is a proven fact that most of the best pubs are in Sheffield. I would recommend the relatively new 'Sheffield Tap' which is a wonderfully restored fist clas waiting room at Sheffield station. A really great range of beers in a lovely setting. I would also nominate, The Devonshire Cat, Bungalows & Bears & New Barrack Tavern
Sheffield Tap
What a fantastic place.
I am pretty well acquainted with Thornbridge (who hold the lease) as I live rather close to their brewery and regularly use one of their other pubs (The Packhorse at Little Longstone) but I had never seen five of their beers all available at the same time.
Also like the way all of the guest beers came from another small regional micro-brewery, rather than a random selection and these are rotated on a weekly basis.
Arranged to meet my son there a couple of Fridays ago and it was so rammed inside it was strictly one in/one out.I was on my third before the lad was able to join me.
A great place for a pint before taking in a film at the Showroom, sheffield's excellent arthouse cinema.
I can only echo the praise
I can only echo the praise for The Sheffield Tap. I try to ensure I go on the train if work takes me to Sheffield. Also like the Devonshire Cat.
In Preston The New Continental is great and their house bitter is brewed by Manchester's Marble Brewery (it's their 'Pint' by another name) and only £2.20 a pint. They do great beer festivals too and my mate often just drinks the Continental Bitter all night as he says you can't improve on perfection.
don't forget
the Bath Hotel.
Out in the Peaks, the Barrel - up in the clouds in the middle of nowhere is great (nice beer - proper pub food and you can look down on the paragliders)
Bath & Barrel
Haven't been in the Bath for years, it always offered an oasis of calm away from the student mayhem on West Street. Hope they have retained that lovely between the wars interior and it hasn't been ruined like the nearby Hallamshire.
The Barrel at Bretton certainly has a cracking location but I think that's also its weakness. IMHO a good pub is more than reasonable food and beer, it's also about the people who go there. The Barrel's isolation means it lacks a core of regulars and is overreliant on visitors who are primarily there for a meal and that stunning view.Nothing wrong with that but it's not an easy place to wander in have a pint and strike up a conversation with a regular.
they did up the Bath
it's very nice. Old fashioned, tiled floor - not a million miles away from the Sheffield Tap. Still an oasis. Have to admit I'm a rare visitor to pubs these days(relatively speaking)
Fair comment on the Barrel, but have snuggled up in there a few times when others are driving, generally during the day.
Anyone remember The Museum (before rebuild)?
Many a student evening was spent at The Museum which in 1980-81 was about the only real ale pub in Sheffield. It was small and cramped with rank toilets out back, but sold Whitbread Queen's Ale, Castle Eden, Bateman's XXXB and Timothy Taylors' Landlord - that was why I went there! Then the Fat Cat opened....!
These days, the best real ale pubs seem to be down by Kelham Island - the Fat Cat is still there, the Kelham Island Tavern, the Harlequin, etc. I now do most of my drinking (such as it is these days) in Derbyshire. The Grouse at Nether Padley is a favourite. The most amazing home made steak pie washed down with Deuchars always hits the spot. The Barrel at Bretton is a favourite - cosy when it's cold, but with great views on a warm summer night. I used to like the Devonshire Arms at Beeley until the new Duchess of Devonshire ponced it up.
Other recommendations...try The George at Alstonefield (just above Dovedale) - great location, wonderful pub and excellent food. The Cock and Pullet at Sheldon is worth a go, too. The Quiet Woman (sign features a headless woman!) at Earl Sterndale near Buxton is a real gem of a place. They sell free range eggs, home made pork pies and cheese on the bar. A warm fire and trad pub games if you wish. I once went there on a cold December Sunday lunchtime and heard a small group play some pretty good bluegrass music. I'm not sure if that is a regular occurrence, but it was great.
Peak District Pubs
My specialist subject.
I arrived in Sheffield in 90 after Orchard Square was built and the Museum has always looked a safe but dull town centre pub. Agree with your thoughts on Kelham Island I would add the Wellington to that list.
Never been in either the Grouse or the George, heard good reports on the latter and as I walk along Stanedge and Padley Gorge on a regular basis I'll try out the former. Possibly over the Christmas break when we tend to get some long walks in whatever the weather.We've talked about walking from Hathersage to Curbar Gap and the Grouse would be a good place along the way for refreshments.
Haven't been in the Cock for a couple of years since the landlady took exception to one of our party asking for his beer to be replaced - it was clearly off. I like the idea of the Quiet Woman but just find the whole place rather grubby.
So my own current personal favourites;
The Packhorse, Little Longstone - I mentioned it above. Thornbridge run, big on locally sourced food. Excellent place.
Three Stags Head at Wardlow Mires - a unique farm pub with an interior that hasn't altered since the turn of the (20th) century. Bad tempered landlord, only opens at the weekends but there is nowhere else like it.Has to be experienced at least once.
The Lathkil Hotel - Over Haddon - a view to rival the Barrel with briliant circular walk down into the Dale below. Been in every Good Beer Guide for the past 30 years. Hearty grub and friendly locals. I may be biased on this one.
Devonshire Arms at Pilsley - not to be confused with the Chatsworth Estate's other pub at Beeley Agree the Duchess has wrecked the interior at Beeley but it's never been a place I really enjoyed, being rather too popular with the 4X4 County set.Pilsley has also been tarted up recently but remains a proper pub with three ales on, including one regular from Peak Ales who brew a few fields away. Food is straightforward grub done well without the pretension found at Beeley. Mrs. Beach likes it.
Finally if you like music with your afternoon beer then you might want to take a look at the Red Lion at Litton where there is usually an impromptu folk session late each Sunday afternoon.
Will check out a few of those I expect
The Chequers in Froggatt is good too. The food's a bit dear and fussy ( but nice). Beer's good though and it's cosy with a great beer garden up in the woods above the pub for the summer.
The Red Lion
I'd forgotten about that one when I did my list. Used to eat and drink there quite a lot years ago, but returned there for a post-walk ale one Sunday a couple of months ago and loved it. We didn't hear any folk music, unfortunately.
The Grouse at Nether Padley isn't perhaps as characterful as, say The Red Lion, but the unpretentious service, unpretentious food and the Deuchars make it a favourite.
I haven't been in the Three Stags Head since c.1981 - I'm glad it hasn't changed!
Perhaps a separate thread on the merits of Derbyshire cafes might be in order?
My favourite pub is one I only went to once...
and I can't remember the name of it. All I recall is that it was in Gloucestershire. What made it so special is that it only sold one type of beer and pickled onions. That was it. The furniture looked as if it hadn't been changed for 50 years, the place was empty and the barman was pleasingly gruff. My kind of establishment.
The Fleece in Bretforton?*
Left to the National Trust about 40 years ago on condition it was never 'revamped' and never sold food.
*It's actually in Worcestershire but not far from the Gloucestershire border
Can I recommend
the British Lion in Devizes. A genuine free house that serves a splendid selection of food - nuts, crisps, scratchings and similar plastic bag contained snacks. It used to serve pickled eggs but these were deemed far too exotic and were dropped from the menu. Did I mention the beers? A constantly changing array of four real ales - you never know what's coming next - it's like a mini beer festival every day. Also supplied are ciders, strangely orange in hue, and the catalyst for the playing of a good old fashioned game of 'spot the village idiot'. Slightly disconcerting in this backwater of civilisation is that the BL now has it's own website.
Backwater of civilisation?
.. with a bloody great brewery stuck right in the middle, complete with "training pub"!
Yes they have a training
pub. Unfortunately their beers don't travel very well - at least not within a radius of half a mile from the brewery gates. You'll get a better pint of 6X in Cornwall than you will in its home town.
The Rose And Crown in Pucklechurch
does a magnificently well looked after 6X. I used to live about three miles away from there, and it was downhill all the way home.
All very nice.......BUT.........
It's not a "proper" pub unless you have been harrassed by any one of the following....
Old lady in daffy wig with a collection tin collecting for an unverified charity. You then lady see this lady at another establishment a hundred yards down the road using same tin to fund monumental drinking habit.
One very dodgy looking bloke, possibly of Irish extraction, collecting "for the boys".
Seller of seafood of nefarious quality, scent and age.
Chinese lad selling DVD's and cigarettes made from real XenXiang road tar.
Pub needs to have at lease one table in the corner with uneven legs reserved for the regular and a dog curled up in a ball underneath.
At least one tap must announce it's chosen lager by means of a handwritten cardboard sign.
The jukebox must play Whiskey in the Jar at least seven times in the evening.
For anyone wanting to visit the quintessential English pub as described, the White Horse in Shepherds Bush is the venue of choice. Wouldn't change it for the world!
The White Horse!
Is that the mad Irish place on the Uxbridge Road, a few yards west of, and on the other side of the road from, the Hammersmith & Shitty tube station?
I love that pub! One of my good friends used to live round the corner in Coverdale Road, and we used to go there quite a lot. We've done the karaoke there a couple of times - it is, as you say, peopled by any number of excellent folk who cannot possibly have jobs, families or any prospect of living beyond year's end.
The very same.....
I once remember stepping over prostrate bodies on the floor to reach the bar. It was 8pm.
NB - also frequented by James Dean Bradfield in years past...
The Grim Reader
You've forgotten the old boy in the corner nursing a half pint throughout the day and reading all the free papers. Probably keeping warm to save his home fuel bills. Bless !
Ours was called 'The Grim Reader' coz he kept himself to himself, buried in the paper, probably to remain anonymous and not get pulled up for not buying another drink.
All Merseysiders know
This place needs no introduction...
Voly in Waterloo.
The Crows Nest, slightly North of Waterloo............
........was almost as good as the Volunteer Canteen to give it its Sunday name, and I was always imprssed with the sign outside promoting the attractions of the pub along the lines of 'No Fruit Machine, No Jukebox, No Big Screen' (or something like that). It worked for me.
I'll be there tonight, probably
Front bar, right hand side. Cains if you are buying.
Would be more than happy to buy you a pint but...........
It'll be the Fiveways Wetherspoons for a swift pint if anywhere tonight
Slightly personal, Paddy,
but I noticed on a fairly recent post that you said you were 'off the ale'. Wondered if that was just a wee break or something more permanent. I took a bit of a break recently as well - two whole weeks! Felt better for it, but felt even better after 'breaking my fast'...
My break was prompted by a particularly nasty hangover a few weeks back - not just the usual, temporary, physical symptoms but a low that lasted several days. Part of the problem on that occasion was the cumulative effect of three nights fairly heavy sessions. I'm now making a conscious effort to have no more than one session per week now. Approaching mid-40s period now showing with a vengeance!
Well
A couple of pints is my limit now. Not been one for sessions for a while now.
The Volunteer Canteen
Love the name.
I take it there is some history behind it?.
My dad used to take me into The Royal Naval Association
in Birmingham - known as The Queen's Belly Button Club :-)
T'was a Boer War
Recruitment hall for the area of Waterloo, which was rapidly expanding at the time.
Pub is largely unchanged since then, thank the lord.
Unique
Part of the social history of your part of Liverpool.
I get so bloody angry when some corporate nob decides to change the name of a pub and erases more than a century of history.I really believe there should be some form of listing process, akin to the system in place for buildings that would limit the vandalism of our social history in the same way that we currently protect our architectural one.
The Angel Inn @ Rhosllwyn
Tiny, one bar, three tables, no music, Wye Valley and Tomos Watkins beers and Taffy Apples cider.
10 people in there and it's packed.
EDIT: and free wi-fi, as I've just found out. Cheers all (slurp)
Sheersh stimpy!
Badger's Tanglefoot, if you're wondering (hic).
The Newhampton in Wolverhampton.
Good beer and they always have proper cider. Real coal fires, newpapers, proper chips, hotpots and, useful in summer this, a bowling green (crown green of course). It's my idea of heaven.
Honourable mentions for the Railway in Codsall and the Swan in Brewood.
Three will do. I could write a book about great pubs. What? Someone already has?
The White Horse in Hedgerley
is my favourite, and I've tried a few.
A beautiful old fashioned down to earth place in a lovely village, ever changing huge selection of real ales served straight from the barrels.
Real dimpled pint glasses with handles and pewter tankards - men with beards and beer festival tour T-shirts talking about non-league football.
Locals that are actually friendly and bar staff that know how to pour a perfect pint.
Excellent homemade pub grub, roast lamb shanks and game pies and apple crumble all at real prices - no sodding gastro nonsense.
A beautiful garden with lots of space, bikers and Morris Dancers and ramblers. And they specialize in local Rebellion Ale, it's heaven!
Is that
opposite the church hall? If so I used to rehearse with a band in the hall and have a pint in there before, mid and after rehearsal.
Yes, that's right
did you ever get to finish any songs?!
The Crown, Chiddingfold, Surrey
Between Godalming and Petworth. I lived on the village green from 1991 - 1994 and the Crown was a real home from home. Roger and Mandy ran it and would take messages, mind keys etc as well as being excellent hosts. People said they always knew when I was in there because my cat sat outside waiting for me. It went bust a while ago but seems to be back in business now. I often drive past and think fondly of it and the other regulars. it also had a four poster bed in one of the rooms.
The Defectors Weld on Shepherd's Bush Green
http://www.defectors-weld.com/
When Ahh_Bisto and I were down at the Beeb we nipped into this nearby hostelry for a swift half and stayed for several + pub grub. It was such a quiet, cosy pub with real ale in a busy location - next to The Westfield Centre and 5 minutes from the BBC Centre.
My favourite pub?
Wherever I'm drinking at the time, providing the company is good.
The Dog and Bacon...
...is my local in leafy Horsham. A Hall & Woodhouse 'gastropub', it's 100 yards up the road; convivial atmosphere, locals use it, OK food, OK beer. So, I'm not really selling it am I? But it is 100 yards up the road!
Yes
The George at Norton St. Philip. A favourite of mine from student days in the 1980s.
The Harringay Arms...
... in Crouch End is a very fine pub. Just a local but a quality local in London is a thing to treasure.
I've also got soft spots for the Canny Mans in Edinburgh and the Britons Protection in the Peoples Republic of Manchester (mentioned above)
Canny Man's
Nice interior but, sadly, the smuggest and most arrogant staff in town, who manage to totally destroy the atmosphere in the place (assuming, that is, you're allowed in!)
Nice beer garden, too, and not a lot of competition in the immediate area. Such a shame about the staff.
The Dyffryn Arms; aka Bessie's
I first went to this pub in 1964, at the grand age of 8; and was last there in 2007. One room, bar is a hole in the wall and beer served from a barrel via a plastic jug. Last time I was there Bessie complained that someone had recently asked for ice and lemon. As if! The bar still has a picture of the King on the wall. No longer as 'hidden' as it was 40 years ago; it has found its way into various guides I believe.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/201133
The Kebab & Calculator: I'm sorry, son
but they don't stock party gimmicks in this pub...
Some years back I had a 'pied a terre' in Bristol
and the local Waitrose was directly opposite the K&C - it's not called that in real life oddly enough - it's the Cock Of The North :-)
And as far as I know
it's the only octagonal pub I've ever had a pint in. We used to frequent the cinema just down the road in Henleaze, and the COTN was a regular drop off point for a swift half.
There was/is a very similar looking pub
near Wollaton Hall in Nottingham if I remember right - presumably there's a few of them dotted around.
Dreadful pub
Drank in there a few times.
The Brewery Tap in Lower Bridge Street, Chester
The setting is sublime, located in the banqueting hall of an old 17th century merchants house, leading down to the Handbridge over the River Dee. It is the Brewery Tap of the Spitting Feathers brewery, and offers alsorts of ales, porters, perries and ciders.
No better Saturday than having a couple of (superbly kept) Spitting Feathers ales in the clubhouse at Chester FC, watching the Seals bang 4 past their nearest rivals to go 6 points clear, and then to the Tap for some Bragdy Conwy Welsh Pride and Steak and Old Wavertonian stout pie.
Which I did last Saturday!
www.the-tap.co.uk
Always like the Chequers Tavern in St. James, Piccadilly when dahn in ver smoke too.
New York New York
I've been in NYC twice this year with different companions, once in the snow and once in a heatwave. Both times we stayed at the Holiday Inn Midtown on West 57th and sought relief from the weather just across the road in Kennedy's Bar.
It's brilliant! The Irish guys are awesome bartenders, who will always find you a seat at the bar and have the knack of catching your eye and giving you a "pint?" sign several seconds before you were about to start thinking "I might fancy another pint". The food was good, the craic was mighty (or ninety as my best mate likes to say) and I'd heartily recommend it. Plus they have a corking display of autographed photos of celebs, including a stack of people who look vaguely familiar
A few London favourites
The Churchill Arms, Kensington
The Anglesea Arms, South Ken
The Antelope nr Sloane Square
The Hollywood Arms, Fulham
The Eagle, Battersea
The Hand & Shears, nr Barbican
The Three Kings, Clerkenwell
The Dog & Duck,Soho
The Wrestlers, Highgate
not that I like to spend time in pubs
The Anglesea Arms
Good juicer, that. Spent many a happy afternoon there. Good sausages they used to do as well.
Back in the mid nineties
when living in Highgate we got bombed by the IRA at various locations around the 'village'. Cordons were put up and we were trapped. Only the Wrestlers was accessible. We coped remarkably well.
Kings Head, Islington
Do they still charge in 'old money'? They certainly did in the 80's.
I can't remember its proper name
but I really enjoyed the beer at a pub known locally as Ma Pardoes. The best I can offer on location is that it is somewhere in the West Midlands. It brews its own beer and is well worth a visit - the decor is straight from Victorian times. Not sure why but i have vivid memories of its ceilings!
Tommy Newman's
Main Street, Schull, West Cork - pokey but very convivial
Spaniards Inn - London
...definitely my favourite London pub. It's the closest you'll get to a classic country pub within zones 1-3. As well as the oldy-woldy oak-beamed, old school interior, you get the best garden in London, the best fish and chips in London and if fancy takes - a dog wash to keep your mutt looking spick and span prior to a quick stroll around the heath.
Obviously I am now pushing 40 and tastes have changed. Ten years ago I'd have been happy snorting crack in the Good Mixer while spotting various indie unknowns but now some fish and a dog wash does the trick....
When moving down to join me in London
The clutch went on my wife's rental van. She just made it into the Spaniard's car park. Never was the news that the breakdown call out would take 3 hours so well received. I walked up to join her. Good job it did need towing...
Anyone remember the Royal Charter in Kingston upon Thames?
Not there anymore but I used to go there on a Sunday lunchtime in the mid 80s when a permanently installed regular would play album tracks and definitely not take requests. I don't know if he got paid but he had built in cupboards for his albums. The last night before they knocked it down people came from as far as Australia. A real Word pub!
Favourite 3 pubs
The Casablance on Hope Street Liverpool has to be my favourite pub ever. I havent been there for about 15 years so not sure if it is still going. Although i believe that several of the Dockers involved in the dispute during the 1990's bought it out.
Also the Ring o Bells in Frodsham Cheshire is a lovely little pub, with very friendly atmospehre, and finally the Forth hotel in Newcastle is a greta bar
The Bon Accord, Charing Cross, Glasgow
In the 1970s & 80s, I was there all the time - one of the few places in Glasgow that you could get Theakstons Old Peculier on draught...
Absolutely
a haven for me at the same time when i was supposed to be studying in The Mitchell Library donwn the road. Went a bit folkie I recall.
Sold Deucher's as well.
The Fountain, at Ashurst
Beautiful unspoilt free house. Worn flagstone floor, real fire Harvey's ale (and others). Scene of McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime video to boot.
Liverpool Pubs
Agree that Liverpool does indeed have some excellent hostelries and as no-one else has named them;
The Fly in the Loaf
The Dispensary
Dr Duncan's
The Ship & Mitre
Are all favourites of mine offering excellent beer at reasonable prices and in good surroundings. All are away from the flesh spots of Matthew St and Seel St so you can usually avoid the stag and hen parties.