Skinners Arms, Machynlleth

Two hand pumps on the bar, one with a reversed pump clip from Purple Moose Brewery. Apparently they usually have one of this fine brewery's beers on, but after a busy weekend just gone, there was none left. It was lively and friendly here at 6pm on market day. May be worth calling in another time.

This place was up for sale last time I was in town so presumably Marstons got no offers. This was a Burtonwood pub that generally speaking were beacons of light compared to the run down dumps or closures that years of Marston ownership have left behind. This has retained the public bar to the right and the lounge to the left which I didn't venture into and never have. The public bar is a long rather dark room with a pool table at the rear and TV screens which were showing music videos. I saw no hand pumps on this side but was told that Banks's Amber and Marstons Wainwright were available. I went for the Amber (£2.25) which was in poor condition, no mean achievement for a beer of questionable authenticity as a real ale. I thought this one was pretty poor.

Always very dark inside so much so reading the paper there is an issue. Similar crowd as you get at The Foresters. Average Beer but far cheaper than the same in the Red Lion.