The Maltsters, Milton Keynes

Diagonally opposite The Bull & Butcher, this is a two-roomer with games room including pool tables, dartboard and obligatory sports TV screen and public bar to the right which has a nice central, open fireplace stack. Slightly spruced up in the latter wth newish carpet and mushroom and brown paint scheme separated by a third-height dado. A solitary ale - Black Sheep Bitter - was just £2.90 and surprisingly decent despite the maleness and loudness of the music coming from the games room. Like The Bull & Butcher, the service was friendly too, so although these are afterthoughts after The Chequers and Red Lion, they're not quite the hopeless causes they might be.