The Nags Head, Market Harborough

Lively Craft Union pub behind the High Street in an area with five pubs. Two bars joined at the neck behind a front and centre servery the entrance doors are to either side. Quite a collection of screens, machines, a pool table and a couple of dart boards. The piped music sounded like a local radio station or TV commentary competing with something else, it didn’t matter it was too noisy to hear very much. Two hand pumps in the right hand side area, Old Speckled Hen and an Abbot that wasn’t bad, usual low end UK kegs as found in most CU pubs. Surprisingly mixed if male dominated punters, some of dubious character. It was very busy on an early Tuesday evening and the lone barmaid was run off her feet.

Official site of The Nags Head - www.craftunionpubs.com

Official site of The Nags Head - www.craftunionpubs.com

Traditional corner pub, operating under the Craft Union banner these days. U-shaped bar counter with a pool / darts area at the back. Very busy on a Friday evening, and standing room only. Old Speckled Hen and Abbot on offer from the pair of handpumps, albeit with some curious, homemade pump-clips.

Official site of The Nags Head - www.craftunionpubs.com

A decent looking Craft Union corner pub, that was quite busy, the brand obviously appeals to many, not only for price. The beer offering was not the best from my point of view, OSB and Abbot so I moved on at that point but returned later on with a couple of hours to kill before my train for a half Guinness. I didn't dislike the pub, It's just the beer.

This was my last pub of a pubs research trip to Market Harborough, and it was starting to feel like Friday night - busy! We circled the bar counter looking for cask beers and finally found them in the far corner, with hand drawn pump clips. This is often off-putting, but in fact the Old Speckled Hen, despite the amateurish drawing of an actual hen rather than the motor car that the beer is named after, was pretty good (NBSS 3.5) and pretty cheap at £3.10 for a pint. (The other beer was Abbot.)