Burton-upon-Trent, Staffs:
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This had been a opening-hours fail earlier, but we’d decided to stay near the centre of town, abandoning a visit to The Cooper’s tavern as it was too much of a walk for us and we didn’t want another taxi ride- we’d committed to a taxi ride to our evening meal- so we dropped in, and first had a soft drink (chilled green tea, as supply-chain problems meant no water), then our first Fownes beer: odd that this is Fownes’ tap house when they brew in darkest Brierley Hill, near the Bull & Bladder. Reputedly the oldest pub in Burton.
Anyway: great beer, great landlord, nice setting looking out on the Market Square in September sunshine, with nearby St Mowden’s church and its ostentatious 6pm chimes.
Branston, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffs:
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Our hotel for a couple of nights, it’s still just about pubby enough to be included.
Lovely, handy location by the side of the river, close to the A38 but feels rural at the rear, though the drive up is surrounded by Branston’s housing.
Cask ale, but it’s Greene King. Decent food, nice staff, hotel rooms, close to a bus route and not far in a taxi to town. Slightly upmarket family feedbag: you can have a wedding here (and to be fair, it would make quite a nice location).
Burton-upon-Trent, Staffs:
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Lovely, listed pub that we came back to after The Roebuck Inn. great beer selection, including the legendary Draught Bass.
There’s food, but only certain times and only by pre-booking, and all the events into October were booked, so it must be pretty good…
Burton-upon-Trent, Staffs:
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We were heading for the Devonshire Arms, but that was our first opening-hours fail, and Google Maps showed this, just around the corner, right in the shadow of the Molson Coors Brewery: a fine choice. Traditional corner pub, lovely landlady, and pleasant local who admired my First and Last and Always t-shirt then spent some time explaining the post-punk and goth music scene to his younger lady friend. A nice pint of Pedigree, too.
Burton-upon Trent, Staffs:
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‘spoons. You know the drill. Cheap food and beer. Nothing to see here.
Burton-upon-Trent, Staffs:
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Apparently once the tap room of Charrington’s Brewery that was once next door, this is an imposing site from the street. Inside it’s plainer, just one U-shaped room, but there was a nice fireplace that could have been original. No ale on when we were there mid-week, but taps were present. Pleasant landlord and a nice place to sit for a while, even if we were increasingly in need of food, so it was a half (!) and a small wine.
Burton-upon-Trent, Staffs:
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Positively lovely Black Country Ales pub. Lovely traditional interior- a bit more characterful that other BCA pubs- a friendly landlord, and great beer. What more could you ask for?
Cobs. But the landlord’s wife hadn’t gone shopping yet :-(.
Burton-upon Trent, Staffs:
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We stepped off a bus in Burton, and this was in sight. We’d got plans for other pubs, but the sun was over the yardarm, and we needed so get our bearings a bit, so in we went.
Nothing terribly exceptional, but a nice enough pub, a friendly landlord, and a decent pint of Pedigree. Inside was traditional but opened out, a typical town-centre boozer.
Burton-upon-Trent:
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An area that could be described as ‘vibrant’ surrounds this pub:it’s not plush or genteel, more gritty and real. However, it seems Ok to me: lots of takeaways nearby, lots of 19c terraced houses. The pub itself looks very smart- I think it’s been cleaned and repointed. There’s pleasant outside space, and while the lounge seems to not be used in the week when I visisted, the bar was pleasant. Staff and customers pleasant, cask ale on (but I was driving). Thisa was my second visit, and I was dissapointed that the giant furry tarantula was missing from the ceiling, in preparation for the Jubilee decorations. Despite this, a nice place to wait for an hour.
In Ur Pubz, Drinkin Ur Beerz