The Mariners, Great Yarmouth

The Mariners was empty when I visited on a recent Tuesday evening, so it was just me and the very friendly young barmaid, so there was no atmosphere. The red carpeted bar area in the right-hand side of the pub has a serving counter up the left and seating up the right to a log fireplace on the rear wall. I counted six hand pumps, three of which were from Grain Brewery. I was invited to have a taste of a couple of them, but no likey, so I went for a pint of Woodforde’s Wherry which was good. There was also an ale made with ginger and another I didn’t note. I didn’t visit the left side of the pub, but when I walked past I noted a pool table and dartboard. It’s hard to judge a pub when it’s empty so I’ve given it a six and made a mental note to revisit when I’m in GY at a busier time.

Facebook page of The Mariners - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Mariners - www.facebook.com

Update: Sadly our latest trip to the back streets of Great Yarmouth finds a lot of changes to the Mariners Arms since our last visit a year ago. The long standing owner has sold the pub and it has just reopened after a period of closure. There were a couple of ales on but nothing like the varied local assortment of previous visits. Hopefully things will go upwards under the new stewardship. Otherwise there is always the nearby Tombstone Micropub or the significantly further away resurgent Blackfriars Tavern, although this one is well worth the walk.

Back in Great Yarmouth for our annual pilgrimage to the Vauxhall Holiday Camp for the Legends of Rock festival we were hoping that the pandemic had not affected the towns premier real ale pub and was very pleased to find that it had not. The two bar layout, either side of the central serving area, is unchanged from our remembrances and on both our chilly weekend lunchtime visits we managed to get a table in the front room close to the roaring open fire. Seven of the handpumps were in operation during our visits and alongside the permanent GK Abbot were Fine Ales Jarl, Rooster Brewing Roots Rock Reggae, Mighty Oak Captain Bob, Saltaire Amarillo and Adnams Oyster Stout. Several were tried and the Captain Bob was considered a fine session beer, so much so that we saw it off over the two lunchtimes. Food is not served, but the pub is only too happy for you to bring food in, which is very handy as there is a Greggs a short walk away..

We returned to one of our favourite pubs in Great Yarmouth last week after a 5-year hiatus. The pub is located not too far from the market place, next to a large town centre car park. It is well away from the beach and therefore attracts a much more local crowd. Both visits here saw the pub to be very quiet. It was a weekend when I visited in 2016 and I remember it being busy. This time, our Sunday visit had one other customer and our Friday visit had just a handful. There are 2 rooms, served from a central bar. The barmaid was very friendly and knowledgeable about the beers and ciders. Greene King Abbot is the one regular ale. Guests on our first visit were Morland Old Speckled Hen, Brains The Rev James, Green Jack Orange Wheat Beer & Summer Dream, Adnams Ghost Ship & Saltaire Triple Choc. 5 days later, there was Oakham Cryptic, Tiny Rebel Cwtch, Saltaire Amarillo, Green Jack Mahseer IPA & Purple Moose Elderflower Ale & Madog's Ale. So, despite it being quiet, turnover of the beers is still good. In addition to the ales, there is also a great cider selection - Weston's Old Rosie, Medium Dry Vintage & Cloudy Vintage, Lilley's Pineapple Cider, Mango Cider, Tropical Cider & Fire Dancer & Thistly Cross Whisky Cask. Certainly a must visit when in the town and can easily be combined with the Tombstone around the corner.

Small, traditional local, slight sea theme with nets etc. There is room for some tables & chairs with high stools in front of the window. Relaxed nice place with a choice of ales, tho it seemed to be Cornish day on my visit.

The Mariners Tavern was probably the best pub we visited whilst in Great Yarmouth if what you are after is a traditional old style pub serving a very good range of cask ales and ciders. The Mariners is situated in Howard Street, a short walk from the railway station and one row back from the North quay, which makes it convenient to do as a double with the St Johns Head . This family run local has a fairly unassuming but pleasant enough red brick and flint exterior, which hides a very pleasant two room interior either side of the central serving area . The main bar, which you enter into from the front door, is old style decor with comfortable seating round high tables in the corners and low tables in the middle, a single screen showing the news muted, and some pub memorabilia such as a full size pub sign suspended from the ceiling. This we actually missed at first because your eye on entering, is immediately drawn to the twelve hand pumps on the bar, six either side of the central pillar. These dispense a constantly changing range of local and regional brewery beers and all the local brewery beers we tried were in good nick. And then the corridor to the right of the bar takes you around by the toilets and into a smallish, but again extremely comfortable back room which is reminiscent of an old style snug bar. All in all, a top notch traditional ale pub, and not to be missed when visiting Great Yarmouth.