Pub A-Z
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.
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Originally Posted by RogerB;21166[SIZE=3
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