Wig & Pen, Norwich

Near the cathedral in the quaintly named St Martin at Palace Plain road. White painted and set back from the road in a pretty building. Inside there are two bars, front and back, the front done out in half timbering including the herringbone brick counter, the back one looks to have a cocktail bar ambiance. Six pulls in the front bar, two not in use, beers were from Wolf, Moon Gazer, Adnams Broadside and Oakham Citra so more or less local. Low and high T-bars provide for the national keg drinker. Comfortable mix of seating on benches at wooden tables to the left and down a short step to an area with tables and chairs. Beer quality good but something lacking somewhere.

The Wig & Pen has picnic tables either side of the central entrance that leads into this small pub. Wood effect laminate is found throughout and to the right of the entrance is a sunken area with a small inglenook that houses a burner that has red lights inside it. Seating is found here, and within the bay window to the front. To the left of the entrance an L-shaped bar counter sits on the rear wall facing seating across the front window. This area was busy with locals during my recent Thursday afternoon visit. Four of the six hand pumps were in operation drawing Moon Gazer’s Hare Today, Panther Brewery’s Spring Ale, Barsham Brewery’s Norfolk Topper and Wolf Brewery’s Sirius Dog Star. Food is available, the Big Wig Steak Burger is priced at £13. I’d pop back in here if passing, but I wouldn’t spend an extended period here because this is a very basic pub with little of interest to hold one’s interest.

A bit of a disappointment for a pub not far from the cathereral and the law courts nearby.There are pic nic benches and a large patio outside but internally the pine heavy set furniture jarred,it just lacks charm and looks cheap.The barmaid was very helpful with tasters of an ale range of Moongazer Hare Today (NBSS 3.5),Basham Norfolk Topper,Wolf Sirius and Humpty Dumpty The Farrier.It maybe in the GBG 2023 but I'm not sure I would target this pub for a revisit,the competition is fierce.

There has been a pub in this attractive building since the 18th Century, previously known as the White Lion before adopting its current name in 1985 when the new Magistrates Court opened nearby. The pub has a decent location, just off the river in a quiet spot close to the city centre. You enter via a large outdoor front seating area, into the large main bar with the servery positioned to the rear left. Banquette and low stool seating fills the space directly opposite the bar whilst over to the right, a larger bare boarded area has been furnished with banquettes, pews and standard chairs. Here a massive fireplace dominates one wall whilst a TV screen provided ample visual distraction by screening a Premier League fixture. The room has something of a cosy, traditional local's bar feel to it, although the dark wood beams that lined the ceiling looked fake to me. To the rear there is a tile floored dining area with a nice little snug to the right offering a cosy spot to settle on some comfy seating. The rest of the rear area is set up for dining, with tables laid for service. A quick look at the menu showed that main meals could be enjoyed for around £10-12, with sandwiches and the like coming in closer to the £5-6 mark. I also noticed the day's papers displayed in a rack in one corner. Six handpulls were dispensing Adnams Topaz Gold and Southwold Bitter, Woodfordes Bure Gold, Sharp's Doom Bar and Norfolk Brew House Moon Gazer with the final pump out of action. Keg options included some rarely seen brews such as Sharp's Pilsner and Franciscan Well Shandon Stout. I decided to try the Bure Gold, having seen it in a couple of pubs around town, and thought it was in great shape, if not my favourite beer of the crawl. In any other town or city, this would probably be regarded as a great pub, but with all the riches on offer around Norwich, it feels more like an 'also-ran'. I enjoyed my visit here and would happily recommend the place, but there are plenty of pubs not too far away that outshine it.

Update – April 2013 6 real ales on, mainly from local breweries ( eg – Woodfordes, Adnams, Winters, Humpty Dumpty ) . It’s an attractive 17th century pub with black ceiling and wall beams and whitewashed walls. There’s something of a corporate feel with staff in the usual chain pub uniform of black shirts and, disappointingly, there’s no photos or prints inside of either Norwich or the pub itself. On my early evening visit, the after work office crowd were, unfortunately, very much in evidence with several people tapping away on laptops and engaging in office- speak conversations – “ we’ll take that on board”…etc Pricey food is available – eg pan fried duck breast on a bed of parmentier potatoes in an orange honey and star anise glazed with wilted spinach - £ 14.50p, but, based on my visits, food does not dominate. It’s close to The Adam and Eve and Norwich Cathedral and makes for a reasonable mini crawl of two of Norwich’s most historic and well known pubs Original review – April 2009 Smallish white-washed reasonably traditional pub in a quietish area of the city reasonably close to the cathedral. The pub is a GBG regular and, so I'm told, one of the best known Norwich pubs. Food appeared to play a major part when I visited, but there were 6 real ales on - London Pride, Adnams, Deuchars IPA, Mauldens, Woodforde Nog and Oakham Ales JHB. It's quite compact inside and probably usually gets busy quickly, but there's a spacious outside drinking area on the square outside to help relieve any crush. Not a must visit pub, but I'd probably return

Wig & Pen official site - thewigandpen.com

On approaching, I was a bit worried to see a large but deserted patio out front, but needn't have worried since it was very busy inside. Interesting old building with traditional furniture and decor. Six handpumps on the counter, offering Pride, Oakham JHB, Adnams Southwold, Summer Lightning, Woodforde's Ketts Rebellion and Tipples Redhead (£3.20). If anything, it was a bit too busy on my first visit, so will try again at a quieter time when next in the area. (NB - Review dates from August 2012.)

Wig & Pen official site - thewigandpen.com

This 17th century freehouse is well worth a visit. Serves six well kept ales and also prides itself on their fresh locally sourced ingredients for the menu. I went for the Adnams Southwold Bitter.

The Wig and Pen is a decent looking pub that is in a nice location fairly close to the river. Once inside the pub had one room that had an olde worlde feel to it with a beamed ceiling and comfortable seating,there were three real ales on the bar i had a drink of Buffeys Terrier and this was a very nice drink the other beers were Adnams bitter and London Pride. I quite liked this pub and was happy enough having a drink in here. Pub visited 3/6/2006