Ye Olde Kings Arms, Congleton

generic pubco (Marstons?) are very much in control here again unfortunately… beer choice down to Pedigree, Bass and Wainwright Gold and it was very quiet on a Friday night. Still the fascinating old interior but a pub with no direction I felt. Hopefully it will meet its potential again some day.

Photogenic, multi-roomed pub, maybe a cottage originally with an extension, or extended into the next building. Five hand pumps with three bears on, Glacier and Kodiak from local Beartown, plus Pedigree; Titanic Plum Porter turned around and Bass missing altogether compared with the blackboard. As with the nearby Antelope, there were quite a few regulars here at 1pm, but conversation at a lower volume as the background music was where it was meant to be. Pleasant pub, but the beer line up here would not really get my heart beating any faster than normal.

Ye Olde Kings Arms is a large pub that has seating across the front windows that is faced by the bar counter that supports standard and premium keg alongside Beavertown Neck Oil and five hand pumps. One of these was unused and the Directors was off leaving Titanic’s Plum Porter, Pedigree and Bass on cask. Behind the bar in the right rear is a large room with more seating, a fireplace and two dartboards on the rear wall. To the left is a smaller room with more seating and another fireplace. Out the back is an enclosed seating area that was full of goths during a recent Thursday evening visit. Friendly and certainly OK for a high street boozer.

10 hand pulls at the bar, five of which were in operation on my Tuesday evening visit. The line-up consisted of Wainwright, Pedigree, Weetwood Cheshire Cat, Titanic Plum Porter and Titanic Rye IPA. I spotted a Bass pump clip turned round on one of the unavailable hand pulls, which may interest those so inclined to seek out Bass on cask. This is a large sprawling pub with wonky old dark beams. There is also a wooden front door with an unusual wooden latch. Food is offered, including a £7 menu and £5 specials. There is a dartboard and the pub is dog friendly. Despite not being massively impressed by the Titanic Rye IPA (unsure if this was a beer issue or a pub issue) I do think Ye Olde Kings Arms is worth checking out.