The Coachmakers Arms, Stoke-On-Trent

One not to be missed if out and about in Hanley. We sat outside on this visit as the weather was so good. The manageress and son were also sitting out front, so we stayed for a while as they were friendly and chatty. The pub is still under threat from the town planners, to build a shopping centre. The pub is steeped in history and we found the Minton wall tiles in the corridor most striking. The small bar and snug was another characteristic feature here. There were five handpumps in use, we went for the St Austell Spring Brew and the Box Steam Temple Mead. Defo a must do pub.

A very fine example of a corridor pub with many original features,it's a must visit for pub lovers.From the outside the two etched windows are marked Snug to the left and Lounge to the right.The snug is tiny and has a serving counter with the handpumps but a spare pumpclip on each pull is angled towards the corridor hatch,so you can see what's on.Most customers buy from the hatch and then move to the three remaining rooms.The lounge is larger than the snug and square with an original fireplace,the two back rooms are both quarry tiled and glazed tiling lines the lower part of the corridor.The right hand rear room has a small upright piano which would have to be moved if you wanted to play darts.There is no muzak or flatscreens just the hubub of conversation .This is a local institution with a genuine friendly atmosphere and the regular punters are justifiably proud of their pub. On my trip the blackboards dotted about noted the real ale selection as Bass (a regular),Moles St Elmo Fire (£3.10,well kept),Thwaites Wainwright and Titanic Plumb Porter with a fifth handpump dedicated to Weston's Old Rosie cider .A very decent selection from this GBG regular. The pub has lived under threat of redevelopment for years,but nothing seems imminent.It is such a classic ,you do wonder if the local planning officers have much sence.I would always pay a visit whenever in Hanley,there are few better examples of it's kind left these days.

The Coachmakers Arms is a proper pub that is opposite Hanleys brand new bus station. Once inside the pub had four small rooms and a tiled drinking corridor,i had a drink in the room to the front left which had all of the pumps on,this is a very small square shaped room with narrow bench seats on two sides. There were 6 real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Hop Back Crop Circle which was a very nice well kept beer,the other beers were Woodlands Midnight Stout,Bass,Youngs Special,Banks's Sunbeam and London Pride. This is a proper old school pub that is very handy if you are waiting for a bus. It was nice to see the pub still up and running and long may it continue to do so. Pub visited 1/6/2013