The White Hart, Warrington

Commanding a corner plot on the cusp of Warrington's pedestrianised town centre a snorkel-shaped bar faces you on entry, which elongates to the right. A small sitting-room type, erm, room, is located to the left, with the bar area wooden floorboarded and tartan-carpeted seating areas as mentioned below are raised up three of four steps. Internally it's bright with dark wood and a drab olive paint scheme. Overloud Radio 1-style muzak played in the background, and the three-ale line-up consisted of Deuchars IPA, Golden XPA and Autumn Red, so you can guess who they're in cahoots with.

Refurbished pub with a gastro-pub style paintwork and some attractive hanging baskets. Split-level interior featuring several seating areas around an island bar. Semi-modern modern furniture and semi-traditional decor. Food offers. Three real ales on handpump: Theakston Best Bitter and XB (£2.65) and Caledonian Flying Scotsman.

Refurbished and much nicer. Serves real ales to placate Camra types.

I wandered past the White Hart at 21:00 on Saturday night a couple of weeks ago and decided not to go in as there was some extremely loud live music being played. On the way back to my hotel at 23:30 I passed the pub again and found that the band had finished but the pub was still open. I took this opportunity to have a quick peaceful pint after being deafened by the pubs and bars in the main town. Standard draught products are available from the bar, but the five hand pumps were all unused. I didn’t see any food advertised. The interior is made up of different seating areas and there are lots of steps throughout the bar area. There is table football in a raised area to the right rear and on the back wall down a corridor to the left of the bar is a dartboard. There is also a pool table in a room to the left of the entrance and the plasma screen was showing a muted film. Live music is advertised for Thursday evenings. I found the service to be polite enough, but I feel that this pub isn’t living up to its true potential.