The Phoenix Ale House, Inverness

A splendid pub of two parts, to the left a dark old pub with an island bar, to the right a more modernly decorated restaurant cum lounge with a pool table. The main bar is a traditional plain brown room with tables and chairs, some with tartan upholstery, resting on bare boards, lighting from nice oil lamp style lights. A few mirrors and posters brighten up the anaglypta papered walls above the five foot high tongue and groove. There is a set of six magnificent porcelain handled hand pumps dispensing beers from Scottish micros, especially from Orkney, and an English guest from Fullers (Seafarers) all in reasonable condition except the Dark Island which was tactfully and swiftly exchanged by the friendly and slick young landlord. Only a small selection of malts but the beers make up for that. Most customers were lively middle aged men on my mid-week visit, weekends are probably a different tale.