Quote Originally Posted by Aqualung View Post
Newcastle has 2 GBG listed micropubs, the Lymestone Vaults (also GBG), a good Joules pub with a couple of decent guests, a Titanic pub with a GBG listed Free House on the way back to town, a biker's GBG listed Free House that doesn't open until 17:00 on Fridays and a Weal Ales outlet called Wellers. The Spoons is average and there may well be more to add to that list.

I can't make a case for Stamford at all, having visited the JDW I doubt that I would go back.
The five GBG2018 pubs are, Bridge Street Ale House, Freebird, Hop Inn, Hopwater Cellar, Lymestone vaults. I used to drive through the place and wasn't impressed but I've never drunk there so couldn't possibly comment. Inconveniently it doesn't have a railway station so it's a bus from Stoke.

Stamford is good, four GBG2018 pubs plus a couple of other decent ones, it's compact and has rail connections (via Peterborough I believe so ECML).

I think it would be pushing things to call Lincoln the Midlands but it's great for pubs apart from that bloody hill. Rail links are still a little bit convoluted, especially from Leeds, it's usually a change at Peterborough from London. While we're in the Lincoln/ECML area, Newark isn't bad for a day out either just a bit of a walk from the ECML station (North Gate).

I'd go to Kidderminster any time but Stourbridge was mostly shut when I went there and there's the rattler from Stourbridge Junction to "enjoy", but I could be persuaded.

How do we set up a poll?

Contenders so far (with GBG pubs)

Bridgnorth (6)
Kidderminster (7)
Lichfield (4)
Lincoln (9)
Loughborough (6)
Newark (5)
Newcastle UL (5)
Norwich (26)
Stamford (4)
Stourbridge (5)