The Chequers, Stevenage

Greene King pub with an agreement to have a large range of guest ales and ciders. Exterior looks scruffy with weeds growing out the front. Inside looks a lot better at first glance, a staple shape with some attractive tiling on the right hand wall, a maroon and coffee cream colour scheme and some booths down the left side. Get your eye in and you can see there's dilapidations, with foam coming out of some of the seats. Basic and scruffy rear garden area with a pizza van. 10 pumps in all, with 5 actually clipped. 2x Tring, 2x XT and one from a St Albans brewery. My Tring Mansion Mild was OK though clearly on an aspirator (NBSS 2). Service friendly. If you're unlucky enough to find yourself in Stevenage then this one's worth a look – you might get lucky.

I've been to many pubs around the Old Town High Street in the past but didn't recognise this one and could find no reference to it in an old Herts CAMRA guide. It is Greene King but whether it has always been so like the Red Lion and Marquis of Lorne up the road I don't know. I arrived here just after midday on a Thursday to find it quiet. It's a single room wooden floored pub with a central bar surrounded by black and white tiles. There is a mix of low tables and chairs with some more opulent leather seating. The wall covering at the right of the bar had a map of the area with no New Town and the original A1 going along the High Street. The ten hand pumps on the bar had only one unused. There were three GK beers on, IPA, Ruddles Best and Magna Carta. The rest had four Slater's beers, Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge and Mighty Oak Marmalade Skies. I tried the Marmalade Skies (£3.60) wondering if the Beatles had received the royalties for the pump clip and the Slater's Haka. Both were in good condition but had a slight haze, whether that was just down to being the first ones drawn or if the lines needed cleaning I don't know. They certainly tasted OK. I don't often visit Greene King pubs but was glad I gave this one a go and the two further up the High Street.

A real revelation.It's quite a small pub owned by GK but offering guest real ales with a bar directly infront of the entrance and two wings either side of the bar.A real fire was crackling on the left side,just what was needed on a cold Monday lunchtime.There has been a refurb,it's quite modern but not oppressively so ,it's just a classy place to drink.The wooden floor is a nod to an ale house vibe,and the gentle low volume muzak enhanced the experience.The flatscreen above the fireplace was sensibly on mute. There are 10 handpumps all working at lunchtime,noteable in itself.On my trip that meant a choice from GK of their IPA,XX MILD,Trial Brew,Morland Bitter ,Old Speckled Hen and Suffolk Porter while the guests were Red Squirrel Mister Squirrel & Conservation Bitter,Slaters Emporer IPA & Rye IPA. A very decent range of styles and strenghts and pleasing to see two of the GK brews from their inhouse microbrewery.Two of us went though 7 of these ales and all were in top condition,this pub must surely make the 2016 GBG. Food is also served,honest pub grub at decent prices from a shortish menu. It's less than a 10 minute stroll from the station and at the top end of the Old Town High Street which contains a bevvy of bars and pubs.The intention was to visit a few,but the offering here so was good this is as far as the crawl got.For real ale in a very decent pub this is a must visit in Stevenage,outstanding.