The Golden Lion, Highfield, Sheffield

I returned here having seen, in passing, that the building had been given a bit of a spruce up, which gave some hope that the interior and the overall experience had also improved. It's certainly a lot smarter inside than it used to be, and the beer selection has improved too - not to the extent of offering any real ales: that would be too much to expect. However, there was some Stones available on this occasion, so I had a half while looking around at the changes. There's a carpeted area to the right, with wood panelled walls and chimney breast, and this was quite a pleasant spot to sit for a few minutes. It's not exactly on my list for a regular visit (still no real ale!), but it's an improvement on what I found here last year. Date of visit: 25th September 2014

A former Stones pub, and the Stones taps remain on the bar but covered with towels, leaving just John Smiths Extra Smooth, Guinness, Stella and Carling. I had the John Smiths, just in the interests of research, not in the expectation of a pleasant drink. Which was just as well, as this is the poorest excuse for a beer that I'm ever likely to sup. I think I'll go back to my former policy of just walking out if that's the only (non-lager, non-Guinness) beer available. If I 'd walked out of here I'd have missed the constant bickering and teasing of the eight year old boy and twelve year old girl who were being left to their own devices while their parents were drinking at the bar. I don't think I've ever used the term "best avoided" in a review before, so let's give it a try: best avoided.