Pub A-Z

[RogerB]

We all like arguing over pub lists and choosing favourite pubs that we have visited is an impossible but ongoing mission. For a bit of fun I have tried to select my own favourite list of pubs that I have visited beginning with each letter of the alphabet. Some were easy, others more taxing. Have a look and try it for yourself…

A – A few to call on but I feel I can do better with the A’s. There’s a couple of decent Admiral Benbows in Shrewsbury and Penzance and closer to home, the Argyle Arms near Oxford Circus is worth a shout but I’ll go for the Alexandra in Derby.

B – A real tough selection. The Blue Anchor in Helston, the Bull at Horton Kirby and the Buffet Bar at Stalybridge Station are just three that I must push aside for the Brunswick in Derby

C – Again, a good selection including the Circus Tavern in Manchester, the amazingly wonky Crooked House at Gornal Wood and one of my local favourites, the Chequers at Farningham. Top C though is the Clytha Arms at Clytha in SouthWales.

D – A tough call between the Dog & Bell in Deptford and the Doric Arch at Euston Station. The Dog & Bell just shades it.

E – Not much competition here to worry the Evening Star in Brighton.

F – I could happily do a pub crawl of F’s. FILO in Hastings, Fernandes Brewery Tap in Wakefield, my favourite country pub the Fleece at Bretforton and a range of Fat Cats and it’s the Fat Cat in Norwich which is the one that hard to deny being No 1 F.

G – Only one winner here for me. The Green Dragon Inn at Hardraw. That waterfall gets me every time.

H – A poor choice of H’s. Thank heavens for Covent Garden’s Harp!

I – Struggling here. The Imperial at Exeter s the best I can do and I haven’t been there for the best part of 10 years! This is the only Wetherspoon’s to top a letter category.

J – Not a great pub letter. Deciding between the Junction Tavern at Kentish Town and the Jerusalem in Clerkenwell, I’ll opt for the former as I’ve been there more often.

K – The King Charles I in Kings Cross is long time favourite and many wouldn’t go further than Sheffield’s Kelham Island Tavern but, for its part in trying to liven up London’s Ale scene the King William IV in Leytonstone, home of Brodies beers, gets the K title.

L – Two L’s that stand out above all others – the Loggerheads in Shrewsbury and the Land of Liberty, Peace and Plenty at Heronsgate. I’ll go for the charm of the former over the plenty of the latter.

M – Market Porter, LondonBridge. Case Closed.

N – A couple of eccentric candidates in the miniscule Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds and the Nantyffin Cider Mill in the Brecon Beacons. Cider Mill gets it.

O – Lots old “Old” pubs to choose from. My current No 1 seaside haunt the Old Neptune at Whitstable is a strong one for me and the Old Cannon Brewery in Bury St Edmunds deserves a good shout for standing up against everything that is Greene King in town but Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street fascinates me every time I go there.

P – Another strong letter. Pride of Spitalfields, Holborn’s Princess Louise and the ancient Thameside Prospect of Whitby are just 3 in London that I could spend all night in but the Mancs win this one with the cheese wedged Peveril of the Peak.

Q – Any number of Queens to choose from but Stockport’s Queens Head gets it for its historic interior and laughable Sam Smith’s prices. In fact Sam Smith’s have just won O and Q!

R – Sorry Royal Oak, Borough. Doris and the Red Lion at Snargate cannot be topped.

S – I thought I would have a lot of choice here but the magnificent Victorian interior of the Salisbury in Soho and the beers of the Star at Crowlas can’t get anywhere near the legend that is the Sun at Leintwardine.

T – T = too many to mention but the Tan Hill Tavern at Keld, North Yorkshire is a pub in its own world, almost literally.

U – Where are all the good U’s? Under the Hammer in Aberdeen is about all I can muster up.

V – Not much going on here either but a final blurry pint in the Village in Salisbury after a mammoth crawl just about stands out.

W – There is something about the lower end of the alphabet. The Willoughby in Kingston just misses out in favour of the West Riding Refreshment Rooms at Dewsbury

X – OK I’m beaten here. Not a single X pub has crossed my path. I will have to find some trendy bar in London called Xenon’s or something just to complete the missing gap.

Y – I had listed a couple of fairly ordinary Y’s until I remembered the amazing Yew Tree at Cauldon Waterhouses near Stoke.

Z – Just the 2 to choose from here – the pretty awful Zetland Arms in South Kensington and Zero Degrees at Blackheath. Not a hard choice.

I’m sure I’ve missed out some potential letter toppers and there are several pubs that I have yet to visit that will make my alphabet a lot stromger but for now, I don’t think that’s a bad list.

[General Staal]

[QUOTE=RogerB;21166X – OK I’m beaten here. Not a single X pub has crossed my path. I will have to find some trendy bar in London called Xenon’s or something just to complete the missing gap.


I have never heard of a pub beginning with X. Surely there must be a pirate themed pub in Bristol called X Marks the Spot.

[Maldenman]

[QUOTE=RogerB;21166X – OK I’m beaten here. Not a single X pub has crossed my path. I will have to find some trendy bar in London called Xenon’s or something just to complete the missing gap.


I have never heard of a pub beginning with X. Surely there must be a pirate themed pub in Bristol called X Marks the Spot.

There is no contest here, surely Surbiton's finest hostelry takes this accolade? :whistle:

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/66965/

[RogerB]

[QUOTE=General Staal;21170]

There is no contest here, surely Surbiton's finest hostelry takes this accolade? :whistle:

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/66965/

It's about 300 yards from where my Mother-In-Law lives. I'm not sure which is the better option to visit.

[Oggwyn Trench]

This has got me thinking , i will work it all out then change my mind again and again:confused::p

[Millay]

Good thread Roger, the Fantasy Beers one took me ages to decide on, I think this one will take even longer.

[Al 10000]

Hi Roger i went in the Alexandra yesterday and it looked very sad only two real ales on which were Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Elsie Mo most of the optics were empty and there was a notice saying "We are not in the one over the eight promotion untill takeover" i dont know what this meant but it is sad to this pub in this state as i thought it was a worthy entry on your A-Z list

[Crossste]

Roger. You will have to make a visit to this http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/43uQV1NCTCV3tFHDzwGziw pub. It may solve your X problem.

[Oggwyn Trench]

Here we go , provisional list
All Nations , Madley , classic homebrew pub
Bowling Green , Exeter , great pub local to St James Park
Coach and Horses , Shrewsbury , not as good as it used to be , though still good
Dog Inn , Worfield , cracking village local
Fox and Hounds , Stotesdon (closed) , eccentric homebrew pub , sadly missed
George and Dragon , Much Wenlock , historic , ancient village pub
Horseshoes , Bridges , great country pub in beautifull countryside
Inn on the Green , Wentnor , country pub in great scenery
Jack Mytton Inn , Hindford , proper village local
Kangaroo , Aston on Clun , village local , centre of community
Lamb and Flag , Oxford , my favorite pub in Oxford
Mytton Arms , Habberley , another village local
Nelson , Ludlow , real ale pub on the outskirts of this lovelly town
Oyster Catcher , Polzeath , on the clifftop overlooking Padstow Bay
Plough , Worcester , you feel like a local after 2 minutes in here
Queens Head , Stow on the Wold , olde worldy , touristy but still a good local
Royal Oak , Ellerdine , great village pub
Sun , Leintwardine , historic , eccentric may it never change
Three Tuns , Bishops Castle , a place of pilgramige for 25 years
Unicorn , Ketley (closed) , brewpub , home to Heavengate , the best beer ever
Victoria Vaults , Oakengates (closed) , where i started drinking
White Horse , Oxford , tiny , classic town pub
Yorkshire House , Shrewsbury , just because

No X or Z i can recall , a lot of these pubs have probally changed since my last visit , none for the better i suspect

[Delboy20]

This will get the grey matter working. So many pubs to choose from - it will be near impossible to pick the best.
I can only think of one for Z - http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/63523/ - really basic pub - But I have been in on both my trips to Middlesbrough !!

[hopwas]

This will get the grey matter working. So many pubs to choose from - it will be near impossible to pick the best.
I can only think of one for Z - http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/63523/ - really basic pub - But I have been in on both my trips to Middlesbrough !!

Only pub with Z in its name I have drank in was Zephyr which is now known as Winning Post in Tamworth.

Boy it was very rough pub and it is still now..

[trainman]

No X or Z i can recall ,

Pedants might suggest you can't recall an 'E' either Oggy, sorry to bring it up...

[Oggwyn Trench]

Pedants might suggest you can't recall an 'E' either Oggy, sorry to bring it up...

Whoops , missed out the Eagles , Cressage

[gillhalfpint]

This was so much more difficult than I imagined. I do have a list of all pubs visited, so just had to sort alphabetically by pub. Was great just looking throuh them that way, but so difficult to chose. Only x elusive to us, but here is my choice.

Anchor Birmingham
Bacchus Newcastle
Cask Pub & Kitchen Pimlico
Devonshire Cat Sheffield
Evening Star Brighton
Fat Cat Sheffield
Gardners Rest Sheffield
Halfway House Edinburgh
Isaac Merritt-JDW Paignton
Jolly Crispin Upper Gornal
Kings Head Norwich
Lochs Geldeston
Maltings York
New Oxford Salford
Old Poets Corner Ashover
Peter Kavannah's Liverpool
Quakerhouse Darlington
Rat Race Hartlepool
Sidings Castletown.IOM
Trackside Bury
University Arms Sheffield
Village Inn Arrochar
White House Peel.IOM
Yorkshire Terrier York
Zerodegrees Cardiff

[RogerB]

This thread could end up being a good advert for Zero Degrees! :D

[oldboots]

Difficult, loads of fine pubs for some letters, nowt for others, struggled a bit with I and Z and I can't think of a single good pub begining with U. I may have cheated with X :rolleyes: . A few have been nominated several times, anyone going to do a league table?

All Nations, Madeley
Beacon, Sedgeley
Coverbridge Inn, Coverbridge, Leyburn
Dispensary, Liverpool
Eagle Tavern, Witney
Fly in the Loaf, Liverpool
Grove, Leeds or Huddersfield both are excellent
Hunters Inn, Pool in Wharfedale
Ingram Bar, Glasgow
Jolly Crispen, Upper Gornal
Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield
Lion, Liverpool
Maltings, York
Nags Head, Reading
One Eyed Rat, Ripon
Pivni, York
Quakerhouse, Darlington
Railwayman's, Bridgnorth
Station Buffet, Stalybridge
Three Legged Mare, York
U ?
Victoria Family and Commercial Hotel, Leeds
White Horse (Nellie's) Beverley
X (Pub with no name) Priors Dean, Hants
Ye Cracke, Liverpool
Zero Degrees, Reading

[Paris_Hilton]

What about here http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/8289/ for X?

[Strongers]

That's cheating!

[RogerB]

That's cheating!

I'm not sure about having Ye Cracke as a Y either.

[oldboots]

I'm not sure about having Ye Cracke as a Y either.

Well it says it three times outside (and once or twice inside) :p

394

they obviously never throw old pub signs away

[trainman]

Good thread Roger, and a timely reminder of many pubs to be revisited as well as those still on the mission list. I've gone with RB's template and listed some contenders after my first choice, many of the decisions for letter 'champions' were very marginal indeed...

Arden Arms - Stockport (Albion - Rowhedge)
Bull - Horton Kirby (Baum - Rochdale, Bath Hotel - Sheffield, Bell Inn - Aldworth, Bridge - Topsham)
Crown Inn – Stockport (Cambridge Blue – Cambridge, Cow&Plough – Oadby, Cock Inn – Luddesdown, City Arms – Manchester)
Dove – Ipswich (Dog & Bell – Deptford)
Evening Star – Brighton (Edgar Wallace – Temple, Eagle Ale House – Clapham)
Fat Cat – Sheffield (Fat Cat – Ipswich, no relation)
Gardeners Arms - Lewes (Garland – Redhill, Good Intent – Puttenham)
Halfway House – Brenchley (Harlequin – Sheffield, Hillsborough Hotel – Sheffield, Harp – Charing Cross, Hop Pole Inn – Aylesbury)
Isambard Kingdom Brunel – Portsmouth (by default, low rating but couldn’t think of another)
Jolly Coopers – Hampton (not big on Js, Junction Tavern – Kentish Town, Jerusalem Tavern – Clerkenwell)
Kelham Island Tavern – Sheffield (Kingston Arms – Cambridge, Kings Head – Bristol)
Live & Let Live – Cambridge (Lincolnshire Poacher – Nottingham, Lion & Lobster – Brighton)
Market Porter – Borough (Man of Kent – Rochester)
Nags Head – Reading (Newshouse – Nottingham, New Barrack Tavern – Sheffield)
Olde Vic – Stockport (Odd One Out – Colchester, Our Mutual Friend – Stevenage)
Plough Inn – Radford (Pride of Spitalfields – Shoreditch)
Queens Head – Chelmsford (Queens Head – Allens Green)
Railway Arms – Alton ((Railway (Porters Railway) – Stockport, Red Lion – Histon, Red Lion – Snargate, Retreat – Reading, Roebuck – Hampton Hill, Royal Oaks (x3) – Borough-Rusper-Luxborough))
Selborne Arms – Selborne (South Western – St Denys, Stanley Arms – Portslade, Sir Loin of Beef – Portsmouth, Swan & Rushes - Leicester)
Trafalgar Freehouse – South Wimbledon (can’t see another T from my list to compete)
United Brethren – Chelmsford (only U I could find, hadn’t reviewed any, somehow got impression of anti-northern, but decent Wherry)
Vat&Fiddle – Nottingham, Victoria Hotel – Beeston, dead-heat, (Victoria – Dunstable)
Wellington – Sheffield (Wellington Arms – Southampton, White Lion – St Albans,)
X – defeats me
Ypres Castle* - Rye ((* I didn’t like it at all but, if I’m not allowed ‘Ye …(eg.old mitre)’, then it’s the only Y I can think of))
Z – another blank

[runningdog]

:DI'll go away and think about this, don't wait up, I may be some time:drinkup:

[ETA]

I'm not sure about having Ye Cracke as a Y either.

OK, Mr Pedant comes out to play - "Ye" doesn't technically begin with a "y". It's a corruption of the Middle English letter thorn (Þ) which sometimes looks like a "y" when written badly, and whose use was eventually replaced with "th". Þ was the soft pronunmciation (as in "those") while "th" was the hard version (eg "thought"). So "ye" is actually a modern corruption of "Þe".

[RogerB]

OK, Mr Pedant comes out to play - "Ye" doesn't technically begin with a "y". It's a corruption of the Middle English letter thorn (Þ) which sometimes looks like a "y" when written badly, and whose use was eventually replaced with "th". Þ was the soft pronunmciation (as in "those") while "th" was the hard version (eg "thought"). So "ye" is actually a modern corruption of "Þe".

The only thing that surprises me about this is that Trainman didn't come up with it first. :p. However it is pronounced and whatever its origins, it is a definite article along the same lines as "the" and a spurious claim to be used as a pub starting with Y. I listed Ye Olde Cheshire Cheeese under O and I'm sticking with it!

[ETA]

The only thing that surprises me about this is that Trainman didn't come up with it first. :p. However it is pronounced and whatever its origins, it is a definite article along the same lines as "the" and a spurious claim to be used as a pub starting with Y. I listed Ye Olde Cheshire Cheeese under O and I'm sticking with it!

By the same token, Welsh names don't count - Y Dic Penderyn in Merthyr Tidfil (if it's still open), for example (OK, the only one I can think of).

The only "fair cop" I know of is The Yew Tree in Odstock (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/41767/), though I see from a quick search there are a few around the country.

[trainman]

The only thing that surprises me about this is that Trainman didn't come up with it first. :p.
As a pedant? Or as someone who appears to date back to Middle England?
Nope, Þ was, like most things, new to me - we can only read and learn...
Anyway, I refused Ye Olde Mitre and was stuck with Ypres (pron. Wipers, locally) but having read of ETA's Yew Trees, there must be one of those I've been in that would be a preferable Y.

[Maldenman]

As a pedant? Or as someone who appears to date back to Middle England?
Nope, Þ was, like most things, new to me - we can only read and learn...
Anyway, I refused Ye Olde Mitre and was stuck with Ypres (pron. Wipers, locally) but having read of ETA's Yew Trees, there must be one of those I've been in that would be a preferable Y.

I've been in a few Yeomen, but it's always been prefixed by Surrey, Kent etc.


There's always Yates' of course..........

[RogerB]

Anyway, I refused Ye Olde Mitre and was stuck with Ypres (pron. Wipers, locally) but having read of ETA's Yew Trees, there must be one of those I've been in that would be a preferable Y.


My Yew Tree was a cracker! http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/68013/

There are a few Yellow... pubs and Young... pubs listed if that helps. I'm sure you must have been to the York in Islington at some stage. That's a half decent place to fall back on if you're really struggling.

[trainman]

Aaarrrgghhh, what am I talking about?

Yorkshire Terrier Inn & York Brewery Bar!!!
You see what happens when the reviews get sidelined in the name of alcohol?

edit. Oggy's and, especially, Gill's Ys should have given me rather huge clues.

[aleandhearty]

Have a look and try it for yourself

Great thread Roger. Will give it a go, but as a self-confessed creature of habit I think I might even struggle with some of the more common letters. :o

[Al 10000]

Hi Roger

This is my A-Z list which was harder than i thought it would be.

A Adam and Eve Lincoln 27/3/83
B Barley Mow Kirk Ireton 25/3/92
C Cap and Stocking Kegworth 17/6/84
D Duke of Hamilton Hampstead 9/4/89
E Eel Pie Twickenham 13/12/03
F Free Trade Inn Sileby 11/6/84
G Green Man and Blacks Head Ashbourne 9/4/85
H Hero of Crimea Sheerness 23/7/83
I Ilchester Arms Symondsbury 25/8/04
J Jerusalem Tavern Clerkenwell 10/6/04
K Kitty Witches Great Yarmouth 1982
L Lamp Tavern Dudley 8/10/88
M Minster Inn York 1981
N Neptunes Hall Broadstairs 3/8/83
O Ostrich Hotel Prestwich 29/12/86
P Piel Castle Ulverston 15/4/89
Q Queens Larder Bloomsbury 20/3/08
R Railway and Linnet Middleton Junction 20/7/89
S Southern Stars Deptford 14/11/82
T Tea Clipper South Kensington 23/9/06
U Unity Inn Hyde 18/4/89
V Vale Hotel Arnold 17/12/82
W Well House Exeter 30/5/01
X no pubs done with an x
Y Yellow Lion Chesterfield 25/5/85
Z Zetland Arms South Kensington 22/2/07

I hope you like this list some have gone but most are still there.

[ROBCamra]

These are all subject to change as/if the grey matter starts working. :)

A – Abbotsford Edinburgh
B – Baum Rochdale (Too many B’s Brigantes, Blue Bell (York), Brunswick(Derby) Baccus Newcastle)
C – Corbieres Manchester (Crown Posada Newcastle)
D – Doctor Duncans Liverpool
E – Empress On The Stray Harrogate
F – Fringe Manchester (just, from Fat Cat Sheffield & Fly In The Loaf Liverpool))
G – Guildford Arms Edinburgh
H – Hales Bar Harrogate (Hillsborough Hotel & Harlequin Sheffield)
I – Indigo Alley Scarborough (at its best, long before it closed)
J – Jolly Brewer Lincoln
K – Kelham Island Tavern Sheffield
L – Loggerheads Shrewsbury
M – Marble Arch Manchester
N – North Riding Hotel Scarborough
O – Old Bell Harrogate
P – Pivni York
Q – Quayside Newcastle
R – Regal Moon Rochdale
S – Ship & Mitre Liverpool
T – Three Pigeons Halifax
U – Union Rooms Newcastle
V – VAT & Fiddle Nottingham
W – Wellington Sheffield or Hull or Birmingham – all good.
X – Xanadu Rochdale. It’s a club that I’ve never been in since it changed its name. But I had some great times there 20 years ago.
Y – York Brewery Bar. I’m a member here, so cheap beer and freebies.
Z – Zerodegrees Bristol

[runningdog]

Well, I'm only operating in one language, the one I can nearly speak. I've dropped 'The' and I don't care who wants to be pedantic about.:drinkup::drinkup:
But then I'm trying to do it the hard way, going with local (fairly local, anyways) pubs. Not a lorra joy so far, 16/26 ..........:lol::drinkup::drinkup: