The Roaring Meg, Newark

The right-hand side of the Roaring Meg was closed during a recent midweek late afternoon visit, so the handful of regulars were in the L-shaped left-hand public bar. On the red tiled floor are benches that run across the front up the right-hand windows to a pool table at the rear. The jukebox was off, I think the background music was coming from a radio. There’s a projector on the wall, which was rolled up and I didn’t see any live sports ads. The service was polite and the two hand pumps were drawing GK IPA and Old Speckled Hen. Looking at the locals I decided to go with half a Stella, which was eggy so I didn’t finish it. This pub isn’t on my revisit list.

Unusual-looking pub with gable-ends in different styles and a modest hint of brewers' Tudor. The operational part of the premises seems to be what is now a L-shaped bar (including a pool table) but it seems likely that other parts may still have occasional use. Thankfully not keg-only, as so many of these backstreet boozers now are, with a pair of handpumps offering Nottingham Brewery beers - Rock Bitter and Extra Pale Ale (£3.40).

Looks like quite the building from outside and is owned by Springhead brewery. Features in the CAMRA listings as a historic interior and this is historic in the utterly basic manner of being so. Green tiled entrance porch with main bar off to left which is right angle shaped with quarry tiled flooring, green walls and impressive sets of wall length fixed wood benches to make your bum numb, along with some jumbo chunky wood tables. A very modern pool table did its best to detract as did the intermittent pop music and biting cold. To the rear is a plain function room. Three Springhead beers on, My Exodus was pretty so-so in taste and condition. Didn't get much out of it really, feels like it’s being run on the cheap – if you can’t afford to put the heating on in December in a pub, you might as well call it a day.

1930s corner back street local in (almost) unspoiled basic form. Two bars both with pool tables and lots of hard wooden bench seating at wooden tables in the L shaped front public . The back lounge is a bit the same but the benches are upholstered. I got the first pint out which was a bit hazy and slightly ascetic, but drinkable, my companions were grateful I'd got there first and their beer was fine. Six pulls in the Public with three beers from owners Springhead, two guests, from Spitting feathers and Great Heck on this occasion. There are two pulls in the lounge.