Assuming
you are mainly in the City Centre there are a good number of decent
pubs worth a visit. The National Guide lists many, but personal
recommendations include:
From The Railway
station (actually opposite it and slightly down the hill is the
Vat & Fiddle. This is Castle Rocks Brewery tap (Brewery next
door) and an excellent Tynemill pub with a very good range of beers.
In the 2008 NGBG. A LocAle beer pub.
From here
I would suggest back to the station and walk down towards Broadmarsh
bus station. When you get to Canal Street turn left and about
100 yards is Fellows Morton & Clayton, 50, Canal Street. This
is a ‘home brew’ pub with a range of guest ales the
house brew Claytons Original is brewed by Nottingham Brewery.
They do brew one or two beers on the premises but they are malt
extract brews and er.. not to everyone's taste. A LocAle beer
pub.
Alongside
Fellows, Morton & Clayton is the Canal House a remarkable
pub with a canal barge stored inside. You go over a small internal
bridge to reach the bar where a decent range of casks beers are
available with always some Castle Rock beers. A LocAle beer pub.
Continue along
the road and pass on your right the Blood Transfusion centre.
Take the next road past here up to the right and 150 yards on
the left is Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. (NGBG 2008) A real gem
and beautifully restored (won an English Heritage award). Sadly
Greene King now own the pub and whilst it does have guest ales
the main beers on offer are GK versions of such beers as Hardys
& Hansons; Ruddles etc.
From here
walk up the road and in about 200 yards on the left you will find
the statue to Robin Hood (a bit like the Copenhagen Mermaid -
small and a little disappointing). Just past here there is a road
to the right, which takes you onto Maid Marion way. You should
see The Salutation. Offers a range of beer and normally stocks
some SIBA beers. In the 2008 NGBG.
The City centre
now beckons (about 5 mins walk again). On the way to the centre
is The Approach. Very modern but with a decent selection of cask
beers, nearly
always including at least one from Mallard. Another pub in the
LocAle scheme and on production of a CAMRA card will give a discount
on cask beers.
In the City
Centre is The Historic Bell Inn (used to Hardys & Hansons,
sadly now under GK control) A bit like the Bell in choice of beers
but has joined the LocAle scheme as one of the handpupmed beers
comes from Nottingham Brewrey. In the 2008 NGBG.
Also in the
old market square is a The Bank, and a Wetherspoons. Another Wetherspoon
- The Roebuck lurks (up a side road) just up from the Bank.
If you were
to come out of the Bell and walk straight, keeping the Council
House on your right, you would come to the end of the square and
in front of you a pedestrian way going up a hill (towards Hockley)
at the Top of the Hill is Lloyds No 1 (with music, but good beer).
If you continued
over the top and down Hockley you would pass over a main road
and then reach Lower Parliament Street. About 10 yards before
Lower Parliament Street set back on the right is Bunkers Hill
. A fair selection of cask ales are normally on offer including
a LocAle beer.
Halfway down
Hockley you will see Broad Street on your left. About a hundred
yards down on the right is the Broadway Cinema complex. The downstairs
cafe bar, open to non-cinemagoers, serves three real ales, at
least one of which is from Castle Rock. An interesting range of
food is served. A LocAle beer pub
From Bunkers
Hill cross the road using the pedestrian crossing and walk up
into the market. On the far side of the road is The Marketside
– turn right here and at the traffic lights left onto Carlton
Road. About 100 yards up here is Moot Hall. The pub boasts about
ten real ales nearly all from microbreweries – a real treat
if you are looking for something different.
Turn right
out of the Moot Hall, over the traffic lights and then turn left
at the next lights (Peggers Inn). On the next corner (left), in
about 200 yards is The King Billy. Wonderful example of how to
‘restore’ an old pub, with a choice of about 8 beers
from micro breweries. Only re-opened in late 2007.
Head back
down Carlton Road and go past the Ice Stadium. Down the road on
the right and The Castle offers the drinker three beers from micr-brewers.
Continue
down the road and you get back to Canal Street and 100 yards on
the right is the News House, another Tynemill house with an excellent
range of ale. A LocAle beer pub and in the 2008 NGBG.
A
LocAle pub is one which pledges to always stock at least one beer
brewed within 20 miles of the pub. the local brewes will have
a "LocAle - local brew" crown on the pumpclip.
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