The Albion Hotel, Bangor

This fine old traditional high street hotel has seemingly been the recent beneficiary of an external paint job as well as a bit of a spruce up inside. The internal layout of several rooms has been opened out somewhat, but the bar counter is small and confined to a corner. The two hand pumps had only one beer on, and that with a pump clip amended by hand so that it read Brains SA Gold rather than just Brains SA. This was in decent condition and reasonably priced at £3.60 per pint. It was quiet at Monday lunchtime, but the barman told me it gets busier late afternoon. Hardly a destination pub if you're a real ale fan, but not bad for a quick one between trains.

The exterior of this old Hotel & pub has certainly seen better days. Inside it's not so bad consisting of a small wooden floored bar area with a carpeted room off to the left. This had a TV tuned to a Vintage music channel. There is an obtrusive pool table in the bar area with another small room further back. There were a few locals in on my late Monday afternoon visit. Although the bar has two hand pumps neither were in use so I had a bottle of Pedigree (£2.60) which apart from the temperature was hardly much different from the so called cask version. This place was let down by the lack of cask ale and I doubt if I would return. My ancient N Wales beer guide reveals that this was one of several Burtonwood pubs in Bangor. Marston's have ruined it.

Slightly better than most on the very long High St but still average. Like a few around here it could do with a clean.