Bromfield Arms Hotel, Hoole, Chester

Large corner pub but still vaguely traditional inside, two bars, the left hand more a games room with five pulls, pool and darts. The right hand one is part public, part sports bar with a selection of screens and machines. Five pulls with Old Speckled Hen and a mango flavoured concoction brewed in collaboration with Laines which was average but different. Same beers in both bars plus a cider in the games one, usual sort of keg stuff. The craft word was mentioned on a small blackboard but there wasn’t any unless they still count Neck Oil. The right hand bar has a small front snug and a larger rear seating area. A bit of a weird mix if truth be told.

One of 3 pubs very close to each other and the one that's, decor and style wise, the more bland pub and stuck somewhere inbetween the traditional pub style like the Royal Oak on one side and the wine bar/bar-type place that's The Faulkner on the other. Mostly open plan from what I made out and very keen on its horse racing on my visit. The were a couple of real ales to chose from. Its not too bad a place and seemed popular on my afternoon visit.

Just the couple of ales on in here - GK IPA and Woodlands Midnight Stout (£1.54 a half) - plus a couple of ciders, with one served from a box. I wouldn't normally go for a stout, but it was definitely the best bet here. I noticed some lunchtime meal deals advertised, such as two courses for £6.95 or three courses for £8.95, with a limited choice of main courses (bangers & mash, Orzo (?) pasta salad, scampi, ham/egg/chips). The main menu had all kinds of pub grub on it, such as bangers & mash (£5.79), cod & chips (£8.49), and chicken tikka masala (£6.79). This pub has clearly had a makeover since the previous reviewer's visit, and it looked and smelled as if it had been done quite recently. It's all light grey and dull now, with white tiles behind the servery, tall tables and backless tall benches, and I recognise the distinctive style from what they've done to my own local. I'm not sure where ownership now lies between Greene King, Spirit, and John Barras, but it's now part of their bland and colourless Golden Oak branding. The pool table's gone, flooring is a mix of flagstones and bare-boarding, gastro grey's everywhere, as well as distressed tables and chairs and wood effect decor. It's the same corporate branding as in every Golden Oak pub. But at least it's kept going as a viable concern. In my experience many customers seem to prefer the modern and bland appearance of this sort of pub, over the traditional magnificence of the Royal Oak down the road, but I'm not one of them.