Originally Posted by
Al 10000
I had to make an early start on my Burslem area pub crawl as i wanted to take photos of all the pubs i went in.
Up at 5.40 and a quick cup of coffee and i was on my way,bus to Derby and then on the 7.40 train to Longport,once off the train i started to take photos of pubs i would visit
when it was dark.
A stroll up to the middle of Burslem and i had took about 15 photos some of closed pubs.
I then caught a bus down the Hanley using a first bus all day ticket at £4.90,i got into Hanley at 9.30 and started to find the 6 pubs i had been in several
years ago and took photos of them.
Now it was time to start my pub crawl,my first port of call was the Reginald Mitchell a Spoons with plenty of pumps but most doubled up,i had a drink of
Exmoor Fox which went down well,i found this Spoons to be pretty laid back.
Back to Hanley bus station and i was lucky to find my bus quite easily,this was heading up to Norton in the Woods,but i would get off when i passed
the Robin Hood,this pub opens at 10.00 which is unusuall for the Stoke area,this was a two roomed estate type pub that was quite pleasant inside
and a shrine to Port Vale FC,it is a Marstons tied house and two pumps had Pedigree on which was a nice drink.
Two pubs done and it was'nt 11.00 yet.
I then walked up hill to the Norton Arms which Bucking Fastard slated in his review,he was right,this is a two roomed pub but only the bar in use on my
visit,this room was very basic and not to my liking,no real ales on here when i asked why the lady behind the bar said no call for it here they are all
Boddies drinkers which was the only draught bitter on,no Guinness here,i had a half of the Boddies and it was a better drink than i thought it would be.
3 pubs done and only 11.30,i then walked back downhill towards Smallthorne which had lots of pubs on ford green road,the Ford Green pub has gone
The Swan was boarded up and the the Bush converted into a restaurant.
I then passed the Kings Head as it was closed,i was now at the top end of ford green road and i then found a pub open this was the Barrel i quite liked
this small pub 3 real ales on i had a drink of Alton Altons Pride which was a malty drink but still nice,a little further up the road and i found my 5th pub
The Forresters is a fairly large pub hat has been opened out and is done out quite smartly,2 pumps on the bar both out of use so it was a drink of
John Smiths extra cold crap which it was.
I then walked back down the the Kings Head which had now opened,this is a 2 roomed pub that seemed unaltered 3 pumps on the bar and 2 real ales
on i had a drink of Banks's bitter which was ok.
I then walked down to the Green Star but not open yet,so back uphill and round the corner to my 7th pub the Moorland this is a sizzleing pub but
still retains a large area for drinkers,6 pumps on the bar but only 2 real ales i had a drink of Pedigree which was quite nice.
Back downhill heading towards the middle of Burslem i went up a side street to the Park Inn which was closed and up for let,i then walked further into
the back streets to find the Goose,when i asked someone about it they said it had been converted in to a mini store.
Still on 7 pubs done and found 5 closed,i then carried on walking downhill towards the middle of Burslem, i passed Port Vales ground and the bar
there which is on PG only opens on match days.
I was now in the middle of Burlem where i have already done quite a few pubs.
Pub number 8 was the Queens Head the plack outside proclaims cask beers here but only Thwaites Smooth and John Smiths extra cold they must have
come in casks then.
This was by far the worst pub of the day full of older pissheads who were listening to lady gaga blasting out.
I then walked across the square to the Swan Hotel which has recently reopened,this pub has been done out in the modern style but it was nice enough
6 pumps on the bar with 4 in use and 2 waiting for beers to condition,i had a drink of Black Sheep bitter which was quite nice.
I had a nice friendly chat with the landlady who told me about more pub closures in the area.
With so many pubs being closed i decided to alter my plans a bit and head to 3 pubs i had passed when heading out of Hanley but first it was to the
Wedgewood Inn a small 2 roomed pub with 2 unused pumps on the bar,i had a drink of keg Stones bitter.
10 pubs done and it was only 2.00 i then had a good 15 minute walk to Sneyd Green where there were 3 pubs quite near each other.
Pub number 11 was the Sneyd Arms a very large pub with two long rooms either side of the bar,this pub was very busy with a good mix of
people in.
Lots of pumps on here but mainly larger breweries beers i went for Pedigree which was nice enough.
A short walk downhill and i was in pub 12 the Cheshire Cheese a two roomed pub with i set aside for diners but none in on my visit
the bar was packed and seemed short on seating,2 real ales on here i had a drink of Bass which was decent enough.
Pub number 13 was very close by this was the Fox and Duck lots of small rooms but the pub seemed a bit dowdy and was very quite
one real on here Bombadier which was not on top form.
I now had to catch a bus back to the Green Star which i had tried to do earlier in the day,it was now open,a two roomed estate pub
with the lounge set aside for live bands of the rock type.
There were 2 real ales on here and i opted for GK IPA which was very bland.
14 pubs done and it was still light,busses seemed in short supply heading back into Burslem so i decided to walk yet again back downhill to Burslem.
Pub number 15 was the George Hotel Burlems premier hotel with a very plush public bar,no real ales on here and i was the only person in
i wondered why then i realised when asked for £2 for a half of Worthington smooth crap.
A sort walk and i was in pub number 16 the Bulls Head a Titanic tied house with two rooms two real fires and a vast amount of real ales on
i opted for Titanic Steerage which was a very nice drink, i really liked this pub.
Another very short walk and i was in the Duke William,i did'nt like the look of this from the outside but as usuall i was wrong,this is a nice unaltered pub
with 8 real ales on i had a drink of a Mallinsons beer which i car'nt remember the name of but it was very nice drink,i quite liked this pub.
I had now been in 17 pubs and there were still more to do,pub number 18 was the Ye Olde Crown 2 real ales on here and the front was quite nice
with the rear area set aside for a disco,i had a drink of Pedigree which was quite nice.
I then went across the road to the ex Huntsman now called Chillz Bar i was'nt expecting anyting good here,i went in the room to the left and only
keg fonts on the bar and this room was empty,so i decided to go in the right hand room this room was packed with people watching football
and to my surprise there were 4 real ales on the bar i had a drink of Oakham Bishops farewell which was a very nice drink.
19 pubs done and 4 more on my list to do,i was now walking back towards Longport station pub number 20 was the Jolly Carter this was a fairly nice pub
with 3 real ales on i had a beer from a smaller brewery which i forgot to note but i thought it was slightly off.
I was now getting short on time as my train left at 19.27 the Travellers Rest was still shut and i decided not to walk to the White Swan so i ended up
in the Pack Horse which is the closest open pub to Longport station.
Things were getting slightly blurry now and my writing was even worse,i had a drink of Doom Bar which was decent enough.
This was a great day out 21 new pubs to me done but sadly i found 8 closed pubs and was told of 2 more closed pubs.
