Alberto's, Retford

Facebook page of Alberto's - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Alberto's - www.facebook.com

The closest surviving pub to the station and originally the Albert Hotel, this little backstreet boozer has become more of a sports bar with TV screens and a pool table in a very dated interior refurb featuring lots of spurious stonework. They did at least show a bit of marketing nous, with a sign outside advertising Bateman’s XB on offer at £3 a pint, while the solitary handpump on the bar was dispensing Ringwood Razorback in fair condition. Quite a friendly place, and some corned beef rolls left over from the previous evening were offered and gratefully received, but a ‘To Let’ sign outside means things may change here.

This looks like it must have been a proper pub at one time, but its non-traditional name and present decor suggest a different route has been taken. There's lots of internal stone cladding - walls, pillars, even the bar counter! Floorboards have been laid diagonally and the overall feel of the place is wine bar or circuit drinking venue: high tables near the bar, chunky pine tables in the dining area, Sky Sports News on two large screens. The brewery insignia on display outside the pub (Deuchars, Copper Dragon, Black Sheep) suggest a beer festival might have taken place, but if so they've all been drunk off, leaving just two hand pumps with only Timothy Taylor Golden Best. Date of visit: 2nd April 2013