Albion Inn, Chester

It's a pleasant walk here from the canal, with the city walls being an unerring guide, especially if you happen to be walking along the top. This heritage pub is worth the effort of getting here, and worth bearing in mind too that the pub closes each day between 3pm and 5pm (though details vary depending on which website you look at). We got here not long after 2pm so we were ok, and enjoyed Timothy Taylor Boltmaker and Brains Rev James in good condition and about £4.50/pint. There was a little bit of a foodie smell left over from lunch, but nothing offensive, and service was very friendly. We went in the room on the left, which has been opened out from two smaller rooms, while the two rooms on the right are still as they always were, with plenty of old furniture to match. The beer is perhaps not as interesting or as brilliant as would justify a place in the Good Beer Guide, but it's definitely worth a visit.

What a beautiful pub,just below the Walls and worth desceding to.We approached with trepidation aware that the landlord of 50 years had died not long ago but were delighted to find his widow had taken on the pub and it was thriving and completely unchanged save the sad loss.The interior walls are full of great beweriana and metal adverts,collected over a lifetime and among the best I've seen. The multi room layout remains ,it's totally charming and the small island bar serves all the rooms.The larger is to the left of the side entrance and is two sections with traditional furniture and the three handpumps.Through a corridor is a smaller front lounge and then through an archway a charming small snug where a cards school was in action.This in turn has a door to the entrance lobby. We chatted to the friendly landlady who was younger than her husband and wants to carry on his good work.We celebrated the no children rule ,large pub crawl groups may not get served and on Chester racing days the pub closes early and will be selective about entry.Don't try to enter in fancy dress of any description ! On a Thursday evening we were of median age but when a lone younger female entered for a quiet glass of wine the landlady chatted to her,the locals were friendly and the barman a font of knowledge about the Chester pub scene.Traditional food is served here from a short menu and there are no chips,it's old school and food won't impact on the evening drinking sessions. The ale selection was TT Boltmakers (NBSS 3.5),Black Sheep Bitter and Sharp's Atlantic nothing to get the pulse racing but you don't come here for knockout ale but to revel in a proper pub atmosphere and to enjoy the tradition.An absolute must visit if you care about proper pubs,your custom will help it prosper.