Shoulder Of Mutton, Stoke-On-Trent

Ever since the nearby Bird in Hand converted into an islamic prayer centre this street corner boozer days might have been numbered but it is a survivor in an area of huge ethnic change over the last quarter century. There are two rooms from the side entrance but the door marked Out Door leads to an unused and unlit former lounge,while the regulars gather in the left sided tap room.There is a darts board at the far end with a long bench seating running around the periphery of the throw,and judging by the number of trophies on the pot shelf this may help sustain the pub.There are lots of brittania tables,two terrestrial flatscreens and a gaming machine .Decor is variuos shades of grey in flock wallpaper with mock tudor beams and there are a few bar stools. The welcome was friendly and the pub dog took a fancy to my leg before being ushered away.There was just Doom Bar in very decent nick for such a ubiquitous ale (NBSS 3.5,£3.60) but the throughput is decent and the off duty guv'nor was drinking it too.Other choices standard multi national kegs. Wet led , I hope it survives,it's an oasis in a very run down area and probably a case of use it or loose it.

The Shoulder of Mutton is a thin pub with a bar counter along the right-hand side of the rear wall. Banquette seating wraps around the rear and front walls to the left. There’s a dartboard on the left wall and a television was showing the Chase. There is a jukebox, but this was off. The bar supports standard keg and two of the three hand pumps were in operation drawing Sharp’s Doom Bar and Doom Bar Chilled. There may be another bar in the right-hand side of the pub, but if there is it was lights out during my recent visit. The service was friendly, but I think I leave this backstreet pub to the locals in future.