Whitefriars Olde Alehouse, Coventry

This is a very old building as is obvious from both inside and out. As noted below it stands out in a street full of more modern buildings most with a connection of some sort to Coventry University. I turned up here early on a Thursday afternoon to find it fairly quiet, presumably the students were all at lectures or still in bed. It's basically one long room with the bar area in the middle and the bar itself to the right, a snug to the immediate right as you enter and a more modern looking extension at the rear leading to a patio. There is an assortment of benches tables and chairs with a fair bit of standing room around the bar. There was no sign of a TV or posters advertising boring sports. I failed to spot an entrance to upstairs so assume it was closed. I took a seat in the bar area and noticed that some of the beams in this area are so old they look as though they are rotten. The bar has nine hand pumps four devoted to cider but with one unused. The five beers on included no mainstream rubbish and were mostly Locale. They were Acorn Barnsley Bitter, Lionheart Dark Ruby, Slaughterhouse Stout Snout & Pacific Pale and a Three Tuns beer that I can't identify. I went for the Dark Ruby and Pacific Pale both of which were faultless and good value at £3.00 reduced to £2.80 with the CAMRA discount. I thought this place was superb and the only thing stopping me giving it a 10 is the thought of it being rammed with raucous students so it's a very strong 9.