LLandudno:
Pub on the site of an old bakery in the middle of town; it looks old, but it was built around 1980 with a lot of reclaimed material.
Sister pub to The Erskine Arms and the same things are evident: slightly posh pub food (which was again excellent), extensive real ale choice, friendly staff. Again, there was a noticeable food bias, but you could just come for a drink- several people were.
Rhos-on-Sea:
Unexceptional, but not unpleasant seafront pub near the centre of Rhos. Staff fairly friendly, wine fine, but I should have sent my ale back. Regrettably I didn’t, and had to leave half of it. Previously The Cayley Arms, it’s been recently refurbished and seems to be popular.
Colwyn Bay:
Fairly typical ‘spoons, but quite compact, in a grade-2-listed former cinema and theatre right next to Colwyn Bay station.
Another building that JDW have restored well, removing the ugly cladding outside.
To drink in, it’s just another ‘spoons, but special mention goes to the staff who rescued the camera I left behind, so I could go back and retrieve it.
Colwyn Bay:
Part of a small (2) local chain with The Albert, this is another stripped-wood recent refurb of an old pub, right on the main road through Colwyn Bay (if we disregard the A55, which bypasses the town in a cutting).
Inside is fresh and bright, but not wrecked by the refurb; there’s still original details about. Staff very friendly, beer great, and the food was excellent. The refurb is about 3 years old, but still looks good. There’s a strong bias to food, but you could just drink here- it hasn’t overtaken completely. A very pleasant place for lunch, only marred slightly by some twilds.
Conwy:
Fantastic, Grade-2-listed pub dating from the 1920s, with a glorious art-nouveau interior. No food beyond pies/cobs/crisps, no fruit machines or jukebox, just good beer and wine, and a nice atmosphere. Friendly staff too.
Conwy:
Technically a hotel again, but the bar feels pubby, and it’s a proper old coaching inn in the High St. Glorious grade-2-listed exterior, pleasant interior, decent staff, and great beer and wine.
Conwy:
Hotel or pub? Well, it describes itself as a pub, so I’ll allow it on the grounds that I allow Scottish hotels that feel “pubby” and it had an enviable real ale selection, and I think it’s more of pub with rooms.
Great staff, great food, great beer. Inside is stripped wood, modern, but hasn’t wrecked the place; it’s quite pleasant, in fact, after a £750k makeover.
Part of a smallish chain, together with The Snowdon and The Cottage Loaf.
LLandudno:
A bit of a ‘spoons-a-like, this, unsurpising, given The Palladium nearby. Part of the Stonegate pubco chain.
Cheap pub food and beer, and an opened-out interior of what seems to be quite an old pub. Friendly staff, Ok beer (limited choice, but in good order), locals who tolerated us sitting in “their” seats until we left!
Rhyl:
Lovely multi-room traditional local near to the rail and bus station. Friendly landlady and great beer, the snug was a lovely place to sit and relax, and loads of historical photos.
Rhyl:
Old pub, but evidently refurbed over the years. Lounge wood panelled, and felt like a between-the-wars refurb, but it’s evidently been tidied up in recent years, but not ruined. There’s still lots of little corners rather than a cavernous space. Music at decent volume, good beer, friendly staff, and a pleasant place to sit for a few hours.