Cannock:
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Website
Second Stonegate pub of the day. This is a typical town-centre spoons-a-like, but it managed, despite lovely staff, to be less inviting than the actual ‘spoons. it felt a bit grotty and soulless to us, but it was by no means awful, and my pint of Landlord wasn’t at all bad.
Cannock:
Whatpub Link
Website
A traditional pub in the town centre, close to the bus station. it’s a fairly typical Stonegate example. Pleasant staff, beer was fine, inside unexceptional but pleasant.
Chester:
Whatpub Link
Website
Victorian town-centre boozer. Pleasant staff, traditional (pubco) interior, decent cask ale, standard Stonegate pubco menu, decent enough beer garden (plastic grass, but otherwise fine). Near to be bus station.
Whatpub Link
Lancaster:
A Stonegate almost spoons-a-like: so it’s the same as The Kings Arms in Morecambe, which we revisited this time: the same menu, and the same beer choice. We were just drinking pop and water on this visit, but there was ale available, the barman was pleasant, and the pub was OK, as it was quiet.
Aberystwyth:
Whatpub Link
Website
A Stonegate slightly-above-spoons chain pub. Nothing exceptional, apart from the chap with the lovely whippet we made friends with, but not unpleasant at all. More atmosphere than ‘spoons. Some cask ale, but nothing I fancied, so more lager…
West Bromwich:
Whatpub Link
Pub Website
Previously a Goose pub, and it shows- it’s a bit ‘spoons-a-like, but with a better atmosphere. Part of the Stonegate chain.
It’s a big Victorian pile, right next to the bus station. Inside, it’s opened out.
Friendly barmaid, and the first cask ale of the day- Trooper. Not a bad pub, and handy for the bus.
Walsall:
Close to Walsall’s ‘spoons and Tap & Tanner, you have to ask why?
It’s pricier than ‘spoons (£3.75 for my Punk IPA, which I chose over the sole cask ale- Doom Bar), and seems to offer a similar environment to The Tap & Tanner- (i.e: shitty sports on TV) with added shitty R&B music. A long way from my ideal pub in pretty much every way. Part of the Stonegate chain.
In Ur Pubz, Drinkin Ur Beerz