The Fenman, King's Lynn

Quirky and attractive looking pub opposite the station. Sideways horseshoe shaped interior, with some newly upholstered padded bench seating. Ill-advised lockdown makeover with mushy pea green over every available surface, disguising what I imagine would be quite attractive wood panelling. Pool table round the far end. Just the one cask, Greene King Abbot, which was in surprisingly good shape (NBSS 3.5) served-up by an efficient mum behind the jump. Busy, almost all males talking in fluent Builder. Noted a selection of papers, don't see that much now. Despite the hideous paint job I warmed to this one, decent cask and a bit of soul.

I found myself with over a half hour wait for a train so popped in here. It's an open plan L shaped room with a small dining room tucked behind the bar. There is a pool table that takes up most of the left hand side and there are at least two TV screens. A few people were watching the Chase which is better than some bone-headed moron breathlessly expressing his / her opinion on some irrelevant sporting event. It was fairly quiet on my late Thursday afternoon visit. The bar has just two hand pumps which had Doom Bore and Woodforde's Wherry. I went for the Wherry (£3.00) which was pretty sour and horrible, far worse than over 99% of Wetherspoon pints. I would have sent it back in a JDW but didn't bother here as I would have ended up with Doom Bore or even worse a mainstream lager. The place has three of the things that make so many pubs not worth bothering with. They are poor quality or rank beer, an obtrusive pool table and TV screens. I wished I had spent the time on the freezing platform.