The Kings Head, Market Harborough

You might be lucky and find this one open, I have walked past midweek at 8pm and it was shut then at 10pm it was open, not much of a business plan I’d think. Probably not missing much, two bar areas in each arm of a big opened out L shaped space, a single hand pump on the counter in each but with reversed clips, with the weird and erratic hours the cask would not be drinkable anyway. Usual suspect kegs of course, clientele is similar to the next door Nags Head but more male, and the almost opposite Red Cow but younger.

Despite a reasonably nice looking exterior, inside is a rather unappealing open plan L shaped room of little character. A couple of TVs had an archive music channel playing, watched by nobody as I was the only punter at 5.30ish on a Friday afternoon whereas the nearby Nags Head was near to packed. One solo handpump on the bar had a reversed Pedigree clip along with a basic keg lineup, I had a small Guinness which would probably have been my choice anyway. Not great.

Although this place has quite a smart frontage inside it's a bit of a tip. It's a more or less L shaped room with the bar at the front but to the right of the bar is a small area with a bench and a skittle table. The bench was covered in old rags as was the skittle table but it also had a bicycle perched on it. To the left and further on from the bar is a raised area with a pool table and an area with a large TV. Although the bar has five hand pumps there were just Pedigree, Old Speckled Hen and a cider on. I went for the Pedigree (£2.80) which was in reasonable enough nick. I thought this place looked like it was on its last legs.