The Royal Station Hotel, Carnforth

As the name would suggest, this is a large hotel and bar next to Carnforth station. The venue is an important part of Carnforth's pub and ale scene, but during my visit, the main bar had been given over to a wake, so all members of the public were squeezed into a fancy modern bar in left side of building, with no sign of any handpulls (staff thankfully shuttled beer from the main bar and had printed handy ale lists from which customers could make their choices). Accessed via the hotel lobby, this bar is reached through double doors to the left, which lead into a bare boarded room with tiling around the servery, which is located to the rear right. The bar has a nice padded counter front with a polished stone top and a rather nondescript, plain bar back. A large vase of flowers at one end added a nice splash of colour and the walls have been covered in fancy modern wallpaper with some modest artwork on display, whilst the ceiling has some sort of decorative covering and boasts some impressive light features. Plush banquette booths run down the right-hand side, with tables and chairs to the left and one high table with stools under front windows, but for all the comfy furniture, the place couldn't shake the feeling of a sterile hotel bar and I wondered if the modest turnout reflected a normal evening's customer base. Things certainly werent lacking in the beer department, with the hidden handpulls offering a choice between Handsome Cheer, Lancaster Blonde, Cloudwater Fuzzy Hazy Pale, Track Cowboy Town, Brightside Amarillo and Snowhill Copycat Ale. The barman was very friendly, giving me a warm welcome, helping me select a beer and checking to see if I was enjoying it later on. With his assistance, I ended up with a pint of the Fuzzy Hazy Pale, which was perhaps a bit too hazy for my liking, but still a flavoursome drop nonetheless. I clearly got unlucky on this visit and didn't see this pub at its best, which is a real shame, as the great service and interesting ale range promised much. I still enjoyed my time here, even if the side bar is a bit of an anticlimax, and will just have to mark this one down for a revisit when I'm next I town. Date of visit - 15th January 2024

Official site of The Royal Station Hotel - www.royalstation.co.uk