The Last Inn, Barmouth

Official site of The Last Inn - www.last-inn.co.uk

Official site of The Last Inn - www.last-inn.co.uk

The name says it all it is the last pub situated on the southern side of town. It's well described below but is rather dark inside with a low ceiling and beams. The weekend disco must be hell on earth. The three beers from the Marston stable were Pedigree, Hobgoblin and Brakspear's Oxford Gold. I went for the Oxford Gold (£3.30) which is expensive for the area but was in perfect condition. This was the only Marston's pub in town until Burtonwood flogged off their pubs and started brewing rubbish for global abominations. I thought it was a bit twee and I have to say that overall I prefer the other Marston's pub the Tal Y Don.

Barmouth is a wonderful small Welsh seaside town with an excellent beach and a decent vibe harbour and main street. Unfortunately as John, the previous reviewer has commented it is desperately short of pubs, and even more desperately lacking in decent pubs, which is a real shame, as it deserves better. The few outlets in town are a collection of hotels with public bars and a couple of more traditional pubs in the shape of the Tal-Y-Dor and the The Last Inn, and of these The Last Inn is probably the best of a generally average bunch and we found it a comfortable place for a lunchtime snack and a couple of pints. Well described by John below the pub was being well utilised for our lunchtime visit and now benefits from having three functioning handpumps on the back room bar top and these were dispensing Marstons Pedigree, Hobgobblin and Sunbeam from the Banks Brewery, and on a sweltering hot summers day the Sunbeam hit the spot, as did the traditional pub grub being served. The Last Inn would be my watering hole of choice if I was staying in or near Barmouth

On the main road close to the harbour front in the coastal resort of Barmouth is The Last Inn. Outside we see that the pub proclaims itself as being “One of Wales Most Famous Olde Inns”, “ A pub for the more discerning” and “Historic surroundings with a continental twist”. It’s apparently a 15th century inn. Inside, a traditional black beamed low ceilinged interior with a quarry tiled floor features much nautical memorabilia such as fishing nets, model ships, sea charts etc and local photos and paintings of the harbour and railway bridge over the estuary etc. Reflecting the proximity of the lifeboat station, there’s a separate RNLI mini – corner. It’s an interesting dimly lit interior with various nooks and crannies and broken up into different areas by pillars. Seating is mainly long padded settles and spindle backed chairs at dark wood tables. In the rear pub of the pub, backing onto the ciiff face, is a well adorned with fairy lights which, we learn, was the original beer cellar where the constant flow of natural spring water from the mountain kept the casks of ale naturally cool. A painting shows the pub as it was in the 1930’s – looking rather different from what it does now, without the glass fronted extension with hanging flower baskets that we see today. Once inside however, it all blends in seamlessly. Note also the fine old painted mural of the harbour on one of the side walls. Food is very much the major player here with, on my recent early evening visit, most tables having lit candles in champagne bottles and “reserved” notices displayed. It’s not a gastro pub, but food is evidently taken seriously and it’s clearly a step up from normal seaside pub grub and this is reflected in the prices. Perhaps surprisingly, given the above and the evident lack of space, it’s also apparently a “renowned live music venue” with music on Tuesday evening. We also see that it’s the home of the Harbour Lights Disco and Light Show on Friday and Saturday evening, for which, I was told, considerable rapid and resourceful rearrangement of the furniture is required to accommodate this. It’s branded as a Marston’s pub and, although no handpumps are visible on the small bar counter immediately in front of you, the bar counter extends round to the back where, on my visit, there were 2 handpumps serving a reasonable pint of Pedigree - £ 3.10p. Barmouth is desperately short of pubs and, although The Last Inn is not a drinkers pub, if you’re up for a pint, you might want to call in.