The Fountain Inn, Leek

It's not often I find 90% of the customers older than me when entering a pub these days, so it must be a really good cask beer pub. Six beers on at the time of my visit, and having gone for Bass in the two previous pubs, I went for it again. After scores of 3 and then 3.5, this one was NBSS 4. The exterior of this pub is painted in the inexplicably popular dark grey, and the interior is largely fake , but I quite liked it anyway. I hope they have some younger regulars too.

The Fountain Inn is L-shaped with wood floor throughout and a few well positioned rugs. To the right of the central entrance is a brown faux leather banquette that sits under the front window and a fireplace sits adjacent to a bookshelf on the right-hand wall. An identical banquette sits under the left front window and another fireplace sits on the left-hand wall opposite the one to the right. More brown banquettes run up the left-hand wall to another fireplace left rear where lots of chopped logs are stored. In the left rear is the ‘snug’ with banquettes up the side walls and the kitchen door at the rear. I thought this area felt more like a corridor with seating, it certainly isn’t a snug. The serving counter on the rear wall serves the main bar area and a tile floored L-shaped bar to the right where a dartboard resides. I counted ten hand pumps that were drawing Burton Bridge Brewery’s Stairway to Heaven and Bridge Bitter, Wye Valley’s Butty Bach, Beartown’s Best, M&B’s Brew XI, Bass, St Austell’s Tribute, Salopian’s Oracle and two ciders, one from Lilley’s and another from Westons. The service was polite and the Bass was good, this place is certainly a must if in Leek.

Fine old pub on the edge of the town centre, with a seemingly unaltered interior having different seating areas on three sides of the central servery. All very traditional, including the lively banter between various groups of locals. An impressive bank of ten handpumps is located directly opposite the entrance, offering a great range of real ales from different breweries, a cider and a perry. After some dithering while a good natured dispute about the acceptable head on a pint was resolved, I went for a (very full) pint of Burton Bridge's anniversary Ruby Red - good value at £3.30.

The Fountain feels very much a traditional, local boozer despite being only a stones throw from the centre. There are some nice touches here including the real fireplaces and the atmosphere is friendly and gentle. Beers on were Facers North Star Porter, Bass, Springhead Outlawed, Thornbridge Jaipur IPA, Falstaff Cassius Mild, St Austell Tribute and Salopian Oracle. One hand pump was being changed and there were two ciders on. Not at all a bad selection and I thoroughly enjoyed the Jaipur IPA but it didn't quite come up to the Earl Grey's level. Another of Leek's gems.

A very traditional boozer,the front door leads directly to the bar with it's array of 10 handpumps.To both sides of the servery there are impressive fireplaces with beautifully polished walnut surrounds,there is lots of quality ephemera and good looking and comfortable seating of different kinds.There is a rear snug,a darts board,flatscreens that were off on my visit and a walled beer garden.The landlord was drinking with the regulars around the bar and was a very engaging fellow, full of good advice on both beer and the local drinking scene. There were two ciders,and a mix of real ales with some national brands and some small brewers output.Thornbridge Jaipur was the high ABV option,with quite a few more modest strength beers and my Facers North Star Porter was well kept if a little predictable. There is a strong community feel here and all women groups were in evidence given the calm atmosphere.Maybe not quite at the top of Leek's real ale scene,as a local boozer it's a very comfortable place to sink a pint or two.