The Jolly Brewers, Bishop's Stortford

The Jolly Brewers has one main bar situated around a central bar. There may have been other smaller rooms. But I retreated through a covered smoking area into a terraced garden on different levels at the rear, which leads to the tight car park nearer the top of the hill. Greene King IPA, Sharp's Doom Bar & Timothy Taylor Landlord were the 3 real ales. Note that whilst most pubs have switched to card transactions, the Jolly Brewers only accept cash for transactions up to £10. So, I had to dust off the £10 note I'd fortuitously brought out with me.

A friendly community local a little out of the town centre. It doesn't dress to impress, but does what it sets out to do perfectly well and has a good local following, especially it seems when the footie is on. GK IPA and TT landlord seem to be the staples, and in good condition too: it's in the 2014 GBG. The accommodation block looks rather basic but I guess if you're waiting for an early Ryanair flight your expectations won't be all that high. By no means a destination pub but if you're in Stortford with time to kill, or want a break from the M11, it's a reasonable choice.

Traditional two bar layout although the rooms are linked either side of the central bar. The pub has a beamed ceiling, leaded windows, the best room is carpeted, has standard type tables set in 4s, plus a few bar stools. The old exposed brick fireplace is now redundant and houses a metal vase of twigs. A shelf contains a few books, either to dip into or to buy, 25p for paperbacks, £1 for hardbacks. I wasn't tempted. Daily papers were on the bar. The public bar side has the expected wooden boarded floor, there is a pool table and dartboard in here, plus a TV, pre 6 Nations stuff showing early on Saturday. This room contains a cabinet of mainly darts related trophies plus a signed mini Essex CCC cricket bat. On the wall are photos of the pubs football and cricket teams. French doors lead up a few steps to a scruffy bit of garden with a couple of plastic tables. Beers were Timothy Taylors Landlord, GK IPA, Youngs Ordinary Bitter, Bays Up and Under, with Hook Norton Hooky Dark reversed. I had the Bays option which was indifferent (£3.30). No sign of printed menus, but a board listed a specials option of Sausage Casserole (£5.95), Steak and Ale Pie (£7.95) and Chilli chicken,(£6.95). Accommodation is advertised but while I was in a woman enquiring was fobbed off as they don't allow under 18s to stay for "insurance reasons".

This traditional style twin bar pub is a short walk from the town centre. The bare floor Public Bar area is a little cramped but contains a pool table, TV and Big Screen showing live sports (both ESPN & Sky). The carpeted Saloon Bar appears a little shabby with nicotine paintwork and some worn in furnishings. A recess next to an unused fireplace possibly once housed a dart board. To one side of the pub is a basic, turfed, beer garden with a few benches and a small car park to the rear. An extension houses accomodation which is presumably aimed at travelers for nearby Stanstead Airport rather than tourists flocking into town. There was a reasonable if a little mainstream selection of ales available – 2 Greene King’s (IPA and London Glory) plus Timothy Taylor Landlord and Courage Directors. A fifth pump had a reversed London Pride clip and a further 3 or 4 handpumps were not in use so there is certainly plenty of scope for a feast of ales if necessary. Quality was okay but quite pricey at £3.30 for my pint of Landlord. There were just a handful of people for my Saturday lunchtime visit (mainly watching football) but I didn’t get the impression of it having an unwelcoming customer base. Overall, a fairly safe choice and whilst not exactly an essential visit, I wouldn’t have too many qualms about including the place in a future crawl around town.