I haven't done Portsmouth for at least 20 years so looking forward to this one..
From a bit of research to see what might be in store the following popped up but I am sure those with more recent experience of the town can agree or deny..
The Leopold
Hole in the Wall
The Barley Mow
The Phoenix
The Lawrence Arms
With these of interest also:
The Wave Maiden
Belle Isle
Porters
The Northcote
Work is the curse of the drinking Class - Oscar Wilde
My only time in Portsmouth/Southsea was when the Hatters played there in early January 2017. I visited these four (plus The Florence Arms and the Duke Of Devonshire) but didn't write any reviews as I was with my football mates, but I can remember finding them very much as described in the (at that time, recent) reviews by Leigh and others. However, the Leopold changed hands soon after - the long-standing tenants were incensed by the massive rent rise imposed on them by Enterprise - and it is no longer the temple to cask ale that it was two years ago.
Come On You Hatters!
Strangely for a town the size of Portsmouth, it doesn't seem to have caught up with the micro pub explosion yet and is virginal in that respect..
However the Southsea Brewing Co is planning to open the first one in January
https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/bu...pubs-1-8617840
This may be a bit too far east in Eastney and there doesn't seem a lot else worthwhile going out in this direction with the possible exception of Sir Loin of Beef
Work is the curse of the drinking Class - Oscar Wilde
My reason for nominating Portsmouth was to visit the Hole In The Wall which I think I visited in the 1970s.
I've only been to the JDWs in recent years and would have thought that just the IKB near the station and the Lord Palmerston in Southsea would be the only viable ones. The IKB is a madhouse if busy. The Palmerston is a Lloyds but one of the better ones and probably my favourite in the area.
I think I've been to all the old Gales outlets but don't even remember where they are now apart from the one near the ferry.
I got a bus from the station to Southsea as it looked a long walk to me but the Palmerston is on the Southern side of Southsea.
Cross-Country go to Southampton (but not sure if from Sheffield), so you may be able to get to the South Coast on a cheap-ish ticket, although it's likely to take many hours. Southampton - Portsmouth is, hopefully, not too expensive.
Keeping breweries in business for more than 40() years
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields
Thanks for your concern, guys! Yes, there is a direct service from Sheffield to Southampton, and sometimes it makes sense to split the journey - or at least the ticket - at Birmingham, but I think that going via London may be both cheaper and (slightly) quicker. I'll wait and see when tickets become available in the new year.
That's why I didn't vote for Portsmouth (or all the other crazy southern destinations you lunatics put forward)! But if you think that's going to stop me, you've got another think coming. (BTW I'm thinking of starting a new thread, about Sheffield really being in the midlands rather than the north. #geographygalore.)
And I definitely won't be doing a pre-crawl reconnaissance this time...
Come On You Hatters!