Hest Bank, near Morecambe:
We had a walk up here, for beer in the sunshine in the beer garden. It’s a very attractive canalside pub, with slightly posh pub food (very good, and not pretentious) and great beer in good condition. The aforementioned beer garden was lovely too: in fact, this was a very nice pub indeed. They’ve kept the balance between pub and restaurant, with a proper bar with no dining tables in one area.
Lancaster:
This was a real find. We were walking around the city, and had a choice of here or another nearby pub, and I thought this looked interesting.
I turned out to be right. A pleasant, relaxed atmosphere, fantastic beer, good wine, and free food for all: the option to buy a “suspended soft drink” for people so that the less fortunate could come in and enjoy a drink, some food, and some music. A landlord who opened his doors to the public during floods, and great music. Drinks reasonably priced too, this was a lovely place to spend a few hours relaxing. The free food, we were told, comes partly from short-date donations from supermarkets, supplemented by the pub, and anyone is encouraged to come in and enjoy- something very unusual these days.
Morecambe:
Right opposite the glorious Midland Hotel, this was originally the rail terminus on the promenade, and it is still an impressive building. Other than that it’s the standard Fayre & Square feedbag, though I was amused to note the burgers are no longer square. Perfectly acceptable for cheap pub lunch: wine OK, beer sadly Greene King, staff very friendly and efficient.
Morecambe:
Seafront Hotel, but the bias here is pub over hotel- walk in and it feels like a traditional pub (with some lovely tiling- what remains of the original interior has been restored). It’s in the CAMRA good beer guide, deservedly so- several ales, all in good condition. There’s seafront outside space, friendly staff, good pricing, and a CAMRA discount. Food too, and rooms to stay in upstairs, though I can’t comment on either.
Morecambe:
Large seafront pub- inside it’s pretty normal seaside town pub- pub food, karaoke or a singer. Beer was OK- only one ale, and not to my taste, but in good condition. Staff friendly and helpful (getting me a local taxi number), and overall a pleasant experience. Customers more towards the older side- middle-aged upwards- and the entertainment is skewed that way too.
Morecambe:
We’d been here 9-10 years ago and liked it, so dropped in for another look. It’s changed, but it’s still a great pub: there’s a food bias, but it hasn’t taken over completely: even on a busy Friday, we were welcome. Beer and wine both good, staff very friendly. The inside is a bit stripped-floorboard gastropub, but it’s still got character, and the food turned out to be great later in the week- the Google description mentions pizza, but there’s other stuff too.
Bare Village, Morecambe:
Great pub in an ex-gatehouse of a hall (Elms Hall) nearby that has now been rebuilt as apartments, and our adopted local for the week: a proper community local with pool table, music some nights, great beer and pleasant staff.
Bare Village, Morecambe:
A by-the-numbers Greene King family feedbag pub in a quietish suburb just off the seafront, but not so bad. Friendly staff, a few guest beers to avoid the GK stuff, and, when we ate here later in the week, pretty good (and very cheap) food.