Pubs then

[holyzombiejesus]

I had to cycle out to Didsbury today for the first tiem in over a decade and was diappointed to find the The Turnpike in Withington appeared to a)have had a misguided revamp and b) closed down. Always struck me a kind of terrifying when I used ot go past a decade or so ago, like the kind of pubs that sell cans instead of draft, a bit Trainspotting, but I wish I'd popped in when it was open.

In my mind, the old facade was more like the old Robinsons logo that you still sometimes see on old pubs, but google just gives this.



Looks like it weas much nicer inside than you'd imagine.

[Blue Jam]

Managed to visit The Marble Arch in Manchester for the first time yesterday. Enjoyed the sloping floor, tiles, plush green seats

That one's in RTD's It's A Sin! Never been, still recognised it instantly.

[shoulders]

I had to cycle out to Didsbury today for the first tiem in over a decade and was diappointed to find the The Turnpike in Withington appeared to a)have had a misguided revamp and b) closed down. Always struck me a kind of terrifying when I used ot go past a decade or so ago, like the kind of pubs that sell cans instead of draft, a bit Trainspotting, but I wish I'd popped in when it was open.

In my mind, the old facade was more like the old Robinsons logo that you still sometimes see on old pubs, but google just gives this.



Looks like it weas much nicer inside than you'd imagine.

Better let whoever does the national inventory of interiors for CAMRA know. It is listed on there as a Deco classic (although they can do nothing if a new owner decides to revamp it). Although given it was a Sam Smiths pub I suspect it's yet another venue Humphrey can't find tenants to run the place under his despicable terms and conditions.

[holyzombiejesus]

Managed to visit The Marble Arch in Manchester for the first time yesterday.

They used to have a nice barbilliards table in the back room and, once a month, the local Laurel & Hardy tent would meet there and show the films on a film projector. My wife also suffered concussion from falling off a table there. She taught at the school just across the road and they used to have 'one drink Fridays' where, at half three, they'd all agree to go out but "just for one drink". Then they'd stay out until 11 and have no tea.

Thinking of Manchester pubs, which is the best town outside the centre for pubs? Chorlton used to be good but the Trevor and Horse and Jockey were horrible last time I visited and The Bar had had a shitty makeover. The Marble, Font, The Beagle and Dulcimer were good though. Didsbury only really has the Dog and Partridge for interesting beer from what I saw today, Whalley Range is supposed to be improved now the Electrik people bought Hilary Step (although it will never match Jam Street in its prime) and Withington looked bereft. I work in North Manchester and I would rather sit on the pavement and drink water than go in to any of the pubs I've ever seen on my visits, partly because JW Lees pubs are absolutely vile.

Going t

[Blue Jam]

I usually avoid pubs on Embra's Royal Mile but today I went to the Kilderkin for the first time. Pink Floyd album covers on the walls, soundtrack of The Floyd plus Deep Purple and Motörhead, leaflets for an admittedly lovely-sounding parent support group called DADS ROCK... Saxondale as fuck. I loved it and I will be back.

Walking further up the Mile I noted The Canon's Gait is looking very closed. Seems it's temporary though. Good to hear as the chips there are the best I've had in any pub ever, and they go well with Top Out's smoked porter, which they always have in the fridge.

[finnquark]

Whalley Range is supposed to be improved now the Electrik people bought Hilary Step (although it will never match Jam Street in its prime).

Hilary Step is my local and its nice enough. Jam St is OK and the other one is meh. Needs a few more places if it is to gentrify fully.

[holyzombiejesus]

It used to be mine when I lived on Wood Road although we'd go in Jam Street until it got run in to the ground and taken on by the new owners.

When I first lived there, there wasn't a pub or off licence anywhere apart form the top and bottom of Upper Chorlton Road. People said it was due to Quakers or Methodists and some 100 year rule forbidding alcohol but I'm not sure how true that was. Always wished there was a bar in the huge buidling on College Road at the end of Wood Road.

[shoulders]

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/bristol-pubs-announce-f-jubilee-7087590

[mrpupkin]

Sorry if it's already been mentioned but if anyone happens to be visiting Hastings the Cinque Ports Arms is dreamy.

[shoulders]

Looks good, yes.

Are the Stag Inn and the Albion any good? I have those down to try too.

[shoulders]

Best bar in the last 2 weeks was Calgary in Budapest. Basically an old woman (known locally as Auntie Viki) runs it with her ancient brain-damaged dog and fluffy white hat. It's sort of like being in someone's front room but stocked to the gills with her life's possessions.

Calgary Antik Drinkbar
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ViN1B2fsfd5hDVdb9

Impossible to do justice to via photos but here it is 👆

It pretty much breaks the mould, you won't have been anywhere quite like it. Even Munich's Boazns or Belgium's many bars that are run by elderly women don't come as close to the madness.

The love/hate factor is off the chart, but if that wasn't the case it simply wouldn't have the potential to be as well loved.

[The Crumb]

Damn, was in Budapest a couple of weeks ago and that just makes me want to go back even more. The little crop of Belgian pubs on that side of the river were lovely. Brasserie Henri did us a very handsome lunch.

[mrpupkin]

Looks good, yes.

Are the Stag Inn and the Albion any good? I have those down to try too.

The Albion is nice yes, haven't been to the Stagg Inn I'm afraid.

[poodlefaker]

Travelling for work last week I managed to schedule in an hour's wait between trains at Wolverhampton, giving me time for a few pints of Batham's and a cheese n onion cob in the Great Western. It's a Holden's pub about 2 mins' walk from the station, and they usually have Batham's on as a guest, outselling their own beer by about 2 to 1, despite being nearly a quid a pint more expensive. A truly great boozer.

[shoulders]

I was due to visit there last year but opted for a walk to The Trumpet in Bilston instead due to football related train delays. Should give that a go some time.

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

Good call on the Great Western. It used to be regular port of call for me on Friday nights. It was also where Stewart Lee was having a couple with Robert Lloyd in the Nightingales documentary King Rocker.

[Rizla]

pointless post, removed, soz

[shoulders]

pointless post, removed, soz

Must have been awe inspiringly pointless to not be worth posting on a pubs thread.

[bakabaka]

It's beginning to feel like I'm too old to go to the pub any more.
Nothing to do with my health or anything, just my taste. I was brought up on what was then called 'real ale', i.e. bitters that weren't just gassy fizz. And that has been fine for nearly 50 years. But in the past 6 months I've gone to a handful of local pubs and only about 20% of them have any bitter on at all.
Last night the closest they had was 'amber ale' Doom Bar, which amazed me in that when hand-pulled it tastes just like it does straight from the can. Everything else was strawberry ciders (other soft fruit flavours were available), 'Manglicious' IPA (and a whole tropical world of other IPAs) or bottles.

So pubs are no longer somewhere I look forward to going and relaxing as the chances are the experience will be frustrating and slightly sickening. Hopefully Sheffield will be more old-fashioned.

[Blue Jam]

the Stag Inn

Oh come on Shoulders, you know you're gonna love this one

[holyzombiejesus]

It's beginning to feel like I'm too old to go to the pub any more.
Nothing to do with my health or anything, just my taste. I was brought up on what was then called 'real ale', i.e. bitters that weren't just gassy fizz. And that has been fine for nearly 50 years. But in the past 6 months I've gone to a handful of local pubs and only about 20% of them have any bitter on at all.
Last night the closest they had was 'amber ale' Doom Bar, which amazed me in that when hand-pulled it tastes just like it does straight from the can. Everything else was strawberry ciders (other soft fruit flavours were available), 'Manglicious' IPA (and a whole tropical world of other IPAs) or bottles.

So pubs are no longer somewhere I look forward to going and relaxing as the chances are the experience will be frustrating and slightly sickening. Hopefully Sheffield will be more old-fashioned.

That's strange. Most of the pubs I go to offer hand pulled cask ale, certainly more (and with more choice) than a few years ago. Admittedly the choice is often between IPA and another pale ale but it's extremely rare nowadays to go in to a pub and find at least 2 hand pumps.

[phes]

I also don't recognise this experience so perhaps is just chance based on a small sample of pubs? Typically I find pubs/bars are split between total dogshit for everything, or acceptable/good for some split of both craft and real ale. With a few exceptions that specialist in only one of those.

Most likely you're just in shit pubs and the craft and ciders are every bit as rubbish as Doom Bar

 

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

I went to a family meal at a gastropub (car park full of Range Rovers and Mercs) yesterday and accidentally ordered one of those hipster ales they have nowadays. As the beers were being reeled off by the nice young lady, the only familiar thing I recognised was IPA so stopped her and said "One of those please". The equally pleasant young man (full beard, sleeve tattoos, braces) returned with the drinks: "And whose is the Beavertown Neck Oil?"

[Fr.Bigley]

All pubs that suffer a 70/30 bias to craft beer tend to be shite...there's bars for that, just let me enjoy an old peculiar in a pub next to a fire, some old fella reading a paper...etc. I'm so dissolutioned by the place I once loved most. Maybe it's because it doesn't feel the same.

No  simple KP nuts, no smoke filled lounge, no ocean colour scene blasting for the third time cos Kevin put his quid in the box, as the lads wearing Adidas campus ready themselves to go to the match.


Just nae the same.

[phes]

Those are usually bars, not pubs, aren't they? Mid sized pub numbers have been decimated and I can't think of that many pubs like that, that have gone craft heavy.

[Fr.Bigley]

Those are usually bars, not pubs, aren't they? Mid sized pub numbers have been decimated and I can't think of that many pubs like that, that have gone craft heavy.

Not the case in Leeds, certainly not with the city pubs anyway.

[shoulders]

I can think of a few towny pubs that have Camden Pale, Neck Oil, etc on tap and they tend to be crap and expensive.

Most of the ones dedicated to craft keg tend to be bars.

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

We're thinking of moving house in the next couple of years and an important consideration for any area we move to is a decent pub within walking distance.

One thing I'll miss about the area we live in now is walking across the fields to our local - one of the few "proper" pubs left around here. They've always got at least a couple of guest beers alongside the regulars, one of which is Timothy Taylor's Landlord, my preferred beer of choice. Sometimes draft Old Peculier in the winter too.

[king_tubby]

Not the case in Leeds, certainly not with the city pubs anyway.

I very rarely drink in town (and if I do it'll be the Reliance or the North Bar), which have gone downhill? Please don't say Whitelocks.

[shoulders]

Whitelock's definitely hasn't. Would recommend checking out Brownhill & Co of you like those two bars.

Trad pub-wise, I think the Templar has become a GK pub so cards marked there.

The Grove, Duck & Drake still good as ever.