The Red Lion, Stevenage

A music orientated pub,with a small frontage and not much furniture inside.The front section has a defined darts throw to the left,a raised plinth with a high table ,a four seater table and some bar stools.The pictures are all music orientated and there is a listing of the bands appearing on Thursdays and Saturdays.I can only assume performances are in the rear,which on my afternoon visit was an area dominated by a pool table with just two more tables and chairs.Muzak was playing at quite some volume,as you might expect. Tied to Greene King but with a guest ale policy,there was an interesting collection of guest pump clips,none too shabby ,and on my trip there was TT Landlord (served southern style and lacking bite £4),besides GK Abbott and Rockin' Rudolph.Keg GK IPA was being knocked out at £2.49 but I cant describe that as value. Quite basic,it may be worth popping in to see what guest is on offer,but dont expect a cosy old pub where you can while away an hour of two.

This is another long established Greene King pub that I hadn't visited for decades. I certainly don't recall another pub being right next door to it, but the Draper's Arms does look like a shop conversion. It rather overshadows the old red brick exterior of the Red Lion. It still has two rooms the small public bar at the front having a prominent darts throw and the larger rear bar having a pool table slap bang in the middle of it. There are wooden floors throughout. This used to be a pub with live rock bands on a Saturday night and a rock jukebox so it attracted bikers. I couldn't see any sign of a jukebox but it does appear to still be a live music venue. Beers served were predictably IPA and Abbot but the third pump in the public bar had West Berkshire Dr Hexter's Healer (£3.65) which was outstanding. I also noticed that the back bar was selling Sadler's Worcester Sorcerer. The West Berks beer was easily one of the best of the day and I was quite taken aback to find it in a Greene King pub. On that basis I would pop in again but maybe not on a Saturday night these days!