Cock Hotel, Telford

This is a brilliant real ale pub that is a free house, it was an 18th century coaching inn and the three rooms still have some original features. If you enter by the main door at the front of the building nearest to the road junction you will find a small reception area with stairs in the back right corner and a couple of seats either side of the door, all the three rooms adjoin this area. The main public bar is on the left, this is traditional and has a bar counter across the back of the room with several tankards hanging from above, a fire place and wood burning stove in the far left wall, wooden settles and old beams with strings of dried hop plants hanging from them and on the walls were old paintings and various CAMRA awards. On the right of the reception is a smaller bar with a tiny counter in the back left corner near the door and a large bay window on the right which looks out over the road junction, this room was painted all white and is themed as a foreign bottled beer bar with a couple of continental beers on draught. Finally in the back left corner of the building (and easily missed) is a very traditional lounge with nice cast iron fire place in the back wall and wood panelled walls. Regular ales are Hobsons Best Bitter and Mild with six changing guest beers mainly from Shropshire and neighbouring counties but occasionally from further a field. Some of the guest beers on my visit were Hobsons Town Crier, Salopian Shropshire Gold, Ludlow Boiling Well and Old Chimneys Black Rat Stout (GBG 2011). I had four halves and all were in excellent condition. A great pub with a little of something for everybody, the place was packed on a Saturday afternoon but the service was friendly and efficient. There was a good atmosphere and the pub has plenty of traditional character. Finally and most importantly from my point of view there was a good selection of local beers that were well kept. What a fantastic pub, it is a must visit if in the area.

Thank God for this place. A shining beacon in a town full or dire pubs. Beers on were Hobson's Mild & Bitter of course, plus Sharps Special, Titanic Chocolate & Vanilla stout, Vale Bernwode Forest, Ludlow Gold and Black Rat. Had a Vale, a Mild and a Titanic. All well kept. The mild is £1.96 and the Hobsons Bitter £2.20, compare that with £2.50 for GK IPA at The Wickets along the road. Keep it going guys, you're the only saving grace for occasionally having to stay in Wellington.

Without doubt one of Telford's top pubs, The Cock is a friendly, traditional real ale pub with a great atmosphere and a first-class, ever-changing selection of ales, and it gets better every time I come here. Eight hand-pumps on, I was only able to try one pint of Ludlow Gold, which was excellent. As I usually stay at the Whitehouse, just a few yards away, I will most certainly make this a part of every Telford visit and I would recommend anyone else to do the same.