The Four Alls, Market Drayton

A pleasant-looking roadside pub with a decent car park and a tidy garden, mostly gravelled, with tables, chairs, planters and a well. Inside is a different story – it looks and feels grubby, and it’s far from welcoming. We were told we could bring dogs in, but when we sat down we were told they could only be in the dingy, scruffy end of the [-shaped bar, because ‘it’s the law and that’s where the doggy ice cream machine is’. The barman, apart from being an expert on canine legal matters, knew very little about beer, pubs or personal hygiene, while the bar manager, a ginger youth in need of a haircut, did actually know how to work the card machine. The general atmosphere and feeling of culinary unease put us of ordering any of the cliched dishes from the well-battered (unlike the fish, perhaps), dog-eared laminated menu that clung to the surface of the table. There was no real ale, though there was a box of Lillie’s fruit cider decaying behind the bar. Keg choices were Hobgoblin Session IPA, Wainwright Amber, Guinness, Somersby Cider, Kingstone Fruit Cider, San Miguel, Amstel, Poretti and Estrella. Given the chaotic, dry atmosphere, the barman’s sweat-soaked shirt, the dilapidated gaming machine and the state of the décor, you could achieve the same experience by sitting in someone’s garage with a bunch of strangers.

Food-led country pub with 'motel' accommodation. Modernised, with light semi-modern furniture and minimal decoration. Most tables laid up for those dining, but there is a large beer available too. Sadly, the solitary handpump was not in use, and the keg Courage was also off, so ended up with a cold 61 Deep (£3.80).

Facebook page of The Four Alls - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Four Alls - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Four Alls - thefouralls.com

Official site of The Four Alls - thefouralls.com