The Globe Inn, Paignton

This is a traditional back street locals pub which is grade II listed and owned by Admiral Taverns. The interior is simply one small room with a raised area at the back, the basic bar counter is along the right hand wall, there is a pool table towards the left of the room opposite the bar and a large flat screen TV (showing Sky Sports) in the corner of the large bay window in the front right corner of the room and a second large TV in the back left corner which was off. The raised area has two cream leather sofas, a brick fire place in the left wall which has been converted in to a bench seat and a dart board in the back left corner. The floors throughout were all bare boards. The extension to the front left of the building is the toilet block. A sign advertised a rear beer garden which I did not see as I was busy propping up the bar. Regular ale is currently Sharps Doom Bar with an occasional changing guest. When I first walked in here on a mid week late afternoon and saw just Doom Bar on hand pull I must admit that I was disappointed, and when the chap behind the bar (who I later discovered was the landlord) pulled off a couple of pints and tipped them away before serving my pint I assumed the worst, but I'm delighted to report that it was probably one of the best pints of Doom Bar I have ever had and what was supposed to be a quick pint in order to review the pub became a four pint mini session! I'm not a huge fan of Doom Bar but this was in excellent condition and proved what it can, and should taste like. A good traditional pub that despite having a very limited selection keeps a great pint of ale which was a pleasant surprise, after chatting to the landlord and a couple of regulars for a bit, they took pride in pointing out that some of the stone walls of this 400 year old building are over three feet thick, they certainly don't build them like that any more. This is a working mans kind of pub and probably not one for the family although the atmosphere was friendly enough, I would definitely return if in the area.

I visited the Globe on Saturday night a few weeks ago when only one other customer was present along with the governor and his wife. The jukebox was silent and the only noise was the buzzing from the fridge behind the bar. Opposite the bar in a focal position is a pool table that is free to play on Mondays and up some steps to the rear of this small boozer are a dartboard and the main body of seating. Standard draught products are available from the bar and the two hand pumps were drawing Everards Tiger and Oakham ales Inferno. Being empty there was no atmosphere, but whilst chatting with the governor I gleaned that they had only just taken over and this pub has a bad reputation. This explained the lack of any customers on a Saturday night when the other pubs in town were fairly busy. I found the new governor to be very approachable and he talked of his plans to refurbish the pub over time with the addition of a new carpet etc. Sky Sports is also to be added and it may even be in here now as my visit was five weeks ago. The opening times on the exterior state from noon every day until 23:00 during the week, midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and 23:30 on Sundays. I think that this pub has a lot of potential and the outlook for the future looks good. Hopefully the residents of Paignton will soon pick up on the fact that this pub has changed hands and will start using it again.