The Cock Tavern, Downham Market

I've been to some strange pubs in my time and this nearly tops the list.It's a small building and you enter via a side door into a lobby where someone has left their bike.The next door leads to the L shaped bar room,where you will be met by an over enthusiastic dog that wants to sniff your privates,and then whines when pulled away by the landlady.And it's this dogs smell that dominates,there is no escape and I did wonder if it was just it's bad breath that was to blame. There were net curtains over the windows,twee old fashion tables and chairs more akin to a coffee shop but many with piles of papers and other household detritus that you may expect to find in someones front room.In a dark corner at one end sat a man engrossed on his laptop (landlord?),while the only other customer was pertched on one of the large blue velour covered bar stools.The heating and wood burner were off and it felt dank inside but that may have been better than warming up the dog odour.The only way to stop it's whining was to place a muzzle on it ,which seemed a bit harsh. The bar has an unusual tiled eves design probably from the last refit in the 70's,while we tried to escape to the quiet corner next to a display cabinet of chintzy tat.There was no music and no atmosphere but there were sign warning that the dog could die if fed chocolate,crisps or nuts which got us both thinking. At the bar there were 2 real ales ,Batemans XB and something clipped as Adnams The Bitter,which I assumed was a very old pump clip for what is today known as Southwold Bitter.On ordering a pint ,a bit was pulled off into the glass and was handed to me to taste in silence ,it was more of a command.It was fine if non descript.There was also a real cider,but my colleagues bottle of Becks was as flat as a pancake and must have been years past it's sell by date. We drank up and left,overwhelmed by the awfulness of the pub.I don't know how it survives,nor even sure that it deserves to.