The Albion, Rugeley

It was lively with a group of young lads during a recent Sunday evening visit to the Albion. They were playing pool and singing along to the loud music emanating from the jukebox. One of them decided to dance on the pool table, but was soon told off by the friendly barmaid. There is also a dartboard and out the back is a large beer yard full of picnic tables. The bar counter up the left-hand wall supports standard keg and four hand pumps, but only one was in operation drawing Bank’s Sunbeam. It was a bit too hectic in here for these middle aged bones.

The Albion is situated in the middle of Rugeley. Once inside there is a single oblong shaped room with the bar on the left side,there is a pool table on the right side and the room is bare boarded,the seating is bench type to the front left and rear plus some normal tables and chairs. There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Banks's Sunbeam which was a decent drink,the other beer was Pedigree. There was some decent background music playing fairly loud and the pub was very busy on our Saturday dinner visit. I quite liked this pub,it was lively with a good atmosphere. Pub visited 7/3/2015

A town centre boozer,with a side pool room and the tap room running around a central column,probably a former fireplace but any sign of seperate rooms have disappeared,There are two large banquettes,the nearest to the bar having it's own fireplace.There is a large flat screen and a small tv by the bar and when I first arrived Dark Side of the Moon was being played at a good volume.However this went off when something the regulars wanted to watch was being aired in itv.Suddently the whole pub started to stare at me until I realised I was sitting directly below the flatscreen.However the various notices about "Behave or be barred" and several claims of a zero tollerance to drug usage didn't instill confidence.The two handpumps had a very decent Pedigree (£2.54,great value) and Hobgoblin reversed.On exiting my cheery "good evening" did not elicit a response from the barmaid,but I stood out as a stranger in these parts who was scribbling notes for some unknown reason.Not sure I would rush back.

A small brick built Banks's terrace pub, with an extension The interior is an open plan room, where the music was loudish, but at least it was OK. The decor was white and a mushroom kind of colour, with a couple of beer based pictures on the walls to liven it up, as it looked a little bare. There was pool and darts, with a TV, as well as a wood floor and tiled fireplace. Service was OK and the their was a small clentele Beer; all tap stuff with an OK Banks's MILD - the only real ale pumpclip was turned around. A bit of a non-entity of a place - happy enough to have a swift half of the basic stuff; no real attraction though