Neston, Cheshire:
Related to Elephant Lounge, this is a bar in the centre of Neston, and was a handy place to wait for our Uber. Pleasant staff, similar coffee and craft beer offering to the lounge. Inside is again almost industrial decor, but with a few giveaways of the building’s origin (a NatWest bank, unsurprisingly).
One for the hifi nerds: both Elephant places we visit have sound provided by very nice Monitor Audio Bronze 2 speakers: unusual for a bar to invest in proper hifi gear.
Neston, Chesire:
Community pub in the middle of Neston. Pleasant enough if unexceptional. My pint (Theakston’s Summit) was foul at first try, but pulling through the lines properly changed that without fuss.
Not bad inside, but far too many high seats, which left us moving back alongside the pool table.
Chester:
A famed pub amongst real ale types, this is a traditional Victorian boozer in a side street just a short walk from the bus station. It’s lovely- traditional, cheap (under £6 for a pint and a half), and there’s a pubcat (though we didn’t see him).
When we walked in, someone from Cask Marque was doing a spot check, which they passed with flying colours, and predictably, the beer was great.
The pub is in the more vibrant end of town, with takeaways and shops probably aimed at students; it’s a nice contrast to the very turist-centric areas.
Chester:
This is an actual hotel, but the bar is very pubby indeed. A historic building, with some very old paintwork above the fireplace, and allegedly the oldest coaching inn in Chester, as well as the hotel there’s a brewery producing some great beer. Friendly staff too.
Chester:
Historic pub near the Old Dee Bridge.
This should have been nicer. Inside was atmospheric (read: dark) after the bright sunshine, there was cask ale, and the staff were pleasant enough.
It wasn’t cheap though, with a wine and a pint clocking up at around 12 quid, and the food (a sandwich and a wrap, essentially) making that much per head. Also, the beer garden was closed, as was the gents.
Heswall, Chesire:
Micropub recommended to us by staff at The Red Lion.
Generally a great pub: fantastic choice of cask, keg, and cans/bottles, nice barman, pleasant customers, typical micro atmosphere. The only bit that took the shine off was the arrival of a small child- not a badly behaved one, and, I suspect, the barman’s kid, but the chatter and playing that are inevitable with a small child doesn’t fit a pub atmosphere.
Heswall, Chesire:
It’s a ‘spoons, move along, nothing to see here.
Actually, I’ll comment here, instead of my usual line. It is a ‘spoons, so you know the drill, cheap food and booze.
However, it’s quite a new ‘spoons- they took over a previous pub just under a year ago, and the building was previously a telephone exchange, becoming a pub in 2007.
It still looks clean and fresh inside, and actually had more atmosphere than the Jug & Bottle nearby.
Heswall, Chesire:
Really pleasant traditional pub on the way down to the lower town. I was drinking lager, but cask is available. Nice decor- modernised but not stripped out.
Really, really friendly, pleasant landlady and a nice seating area outside in the sun.
Heswall, Chesire:
This is a hotel, really, but it’s on Whatpub.
Perhaps it being a hotel is why is didn’t click for us, the first problem being approached by a member of staff as we walked through the door: it felt un-pubby.
There was a lot to like here: the beer was great, the food was good, the staff were pleasant, the decor classy and traditional. It just felt like it was missing a bit of soul.
Parkgate, Cheshire:
The only remaining actual hotel in Parkgate. Downstairs, though, is gastropub, and the food fits as well, being a sizeable step above pub food.
As a pub, it’s pretty good too. Opened out, but with zones, so one area feels more pubby, others are clearly intended for eating. Traditional decor. Decent beer, great staff, and the aforementioned food is great too.
There’s outdoor space too, but it fills up quickly on a sunny day.