Record Breakers

[Strongers]

I thought I'd start a thread for legendry pubs as there are many pubs that claim to be certain things, but are not, so I thought we could put our collective minds together to put a claim in for the:

Highest?
Lowest?
Most northerly, easterly, southerly, westerly?
Oldest?
Biggest?
Smallest?
Busiest?
Most idyllic?
Remotest?
Most walkers friendly?
With the friendliest locals?
Most attentive staff?
Best sport?
Best dining?
Best bar snacks?
Best free bar snacks?
Best sea food vendor?
Best for beer? (I purposely put this near the bottom as most threads are about beer)
Best views?
Best jukebox?
Best live music?
Best for pub games?
Best quiz?
Best for local curry/Chinese/kebab?
Most dog friendly?
Most cat friendly?
Most car friendly?
Most child friendly?
Best beer garden?
best children's play facilities?
Best toilet?
Best BBQ?
Best smoking facilities?

Some of these are fact, others are debatable and most are perceived, but I thought a positive thread would be good, feel free to add more categories as I've missed many.

[Millay]

I think there are a few claims to the oldest. Ye Olde Fighting Cocks In St Albans is one of them plus, I think, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem in Nottingham.

One of the smallest must be the Circus Tavern in Manchester, certainly one of the shortest bars.

For views I like The Mariner in Folkestone and the Liverpool Arms in Conwy which both look out over their respective harbours.

I'll have to think about the rest.

[ETA]

Cheapest (Colpitts in Durham?)
Most motorcyle/bicycle/horse friendly (Admiral Drake in Portsmouth/Lamb in Nomansland (irony)/Cartwheel in Whitsbury?)
Snootiest (Boot and Flogger in London?)
Weirdest feature (Coopers Arms in Rochester once had an embalmed monk?)
Most boat friendly (Shipwrights Arms in Oare Creek, Faversham?)
Most haunted (George in Newington, now sadly closed?)

[oldboots]

Highest in England is easy - Tan Hill Inn but is it the highest in Britain?
The remotest will be the one in Scotland only accessible by boat, somewhere near Applecross I think, it might be the most idyllic as well.
The smallest is claimed by a couple, one in Suffolk and the other in Cerne Abbas, Dorset, one is the Beehive the other the Nutshell I think. Likewise the oldest has many claimants, one going back to about 900AD. I'll have to think about this and look some up.

[ETA]

the oldest has many claimants, one going back to about 900AD. I'll have to think about this and look some up.

Surely this is the oldest: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/s...-201102183557/

[RogerB]

Crikey – not asking for much here are we!!!

The factual answers as far as I can tell are…

Highest – The Legendary Tan Hill Tavern near Keld in North Yorkshire, home to Everest double glazing adverts and the maddest landlady in the world. Been there, seen it, done it, drunk the Ewe Juice and have the t-shirt.

Lowest Admiral Wells in Holme, near Peterborough - 6ft below sea level.

Most northerly, easterly, southerly, westerly? I remember doing a lot of research on the other side for this. Assuming we are talking about mainland Britain, I think the answers are…
North - John O’Groats House Hotel although last time I looked it was closed for refurbishment – I would expect it to now be open
South - The Witch Ball at Lizard which recently opened usurping the nearby Top House from its notoriety.
East – The Royal Falcon, Lowestoft.
West – A bit tricky but possibly the Salen Hotel, Argyll. Not sure if this is a residents bar only but I’m sure they wouldn’t turn you away for a drink!

Oldest – Many spurious claims but Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem in Nottingham is widely regarded as the oldest.

Biggest - I believe its now the Regal, a new Wetherspoons in Cambridge.

Smallest - The Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds.

Remotest – Old Forge – Konydart, Loch Nevis. I did once try and get there when I was staying in Fort William but the journey defeated me.

As for the personal opinion answers, I'll have to have some thinking time.

[Dave M]

Smallest - The Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds.

This is certainly what I'd always thought, and have seen many a claim of it being the case. However I was watching something on TV a few months back, Coast I think, which claimed that the Signal Box in Cleethorpes is officially the smallest.

[RogerB]

The smallest pub has always been open to debate. The Nutshell has an upstairs "function" room (about big enough for a dozen people at best if they all huddle together) although you wouldn't really classify it as part of the pub in the spirit of things.

[rpadam]

This is certainly what I'd always thought, and have seen many a claim of it being the case. However I was watching something on TV a few months back, Coast I think, which claimed that the Signal Box in Cleethorpes is officially the smallest.

This one also claims to be the smallest...

www.micropub.co.uk

www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/64090/

[RogerB]

This one also claims to be the smallest...

www.micropub.co.uk

www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/64090/

The blurb says smallest "Free House". The Nutshell isn't a freehouse (it's a Greene King tie). I've never managed to get to the Butchers Arms so can't compare the interiors to make an honest opinion.