The Plough Inn, Shifnal

Facebook page of The Plough Inn - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Plough Inn - www.theploughinnshifnal.co.uk

Facebook page of The Plough Inn - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Plough Inn - www.theploughinnshifnal.co.uk

It's been a fair few years since I'd last been in Shifnal. I returned on Saturday to visit a couple of pubs that can be found in the Good Beer Guide these days. With 10 handpulls, I was expecting a better selection than what was available. Despite it being a Saturday, only 3 ales were on offer - Beartown Bearly Spring & Bluebeary & Wriggly Monkey Chara Banc. A fourth beer was pulled through by the young staff, who didn't appear to know exactly what they were doing. The fourth beer was Kelham Island Pale Rider. A cider (Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon) occupied a 5th handpull. There's quite a dark interior. One other customer was inside, with the majority seemingly drinking outdoors at the rear. Others did arrive and joined us inside. Some of those were also bemoaning the beer selection. So, I guess it is normally wider than what we found. The Chara Banc was also fairly poor quality. I got the impression it was nearing the end of the cask.

Excellent traditional pub with three small seating / dining areas, and although these have probably been opened out at some stage, the interior retains a lot of character with two bow windows at the front and low ceilings with exposed wooden beams. Simply but appropriately furnished and decorated throughout. I found nine of the ten handpumps in use, with two from Hobson's - Best (£2.70) and Champion Mild - seven others from mostly local or regional breweries and a couple of ciders. I later saw that the tenth pull was being readied for another cask ale, so although unsure what that was going to be, it was another good sign.

Another solid pub with a choice of 8 beers on. We tried 2 from Hobsons brewery which were fine. Well worth a visit.

An obviously venerable building on my Saturday evening visit it had a restauranty vibe in the front area, a wall has been partly removed so it's one room not two now, even though it's a genuine pub. Strangely the front was heaving while a nice little tap room at the back was empty apart from a middle class couple absent mindedly watching some minor soccer game, well she did but he was engrossed in his phone. When she got bored with the footy he got an ear bashing for not paying attention to her, ah pubs all human life is there, doncha luv em?

Nice centre pub with a large garden at the rear. Good choice of real ales