Town Crier, Chester

The Town Crier is a large pub with a main U-shaped serving counter from the right-hand wall that creates front and rear drinking areas. Six hand pumps are supported with four at the front that were drawing Wainwright Gold, and Amber alongside GK Abbot Ale and Hobson’s Champion. Two of these were doubled up on the two hand pumps on the rear part of the counter. There’s raised seating in the curved front left windows and there’s another bar area that was closed during my Monday evening visit. A projector and televisions throughout were airing muted darts on Sky Sports while some background music played. This is a high street pub with little to draw one in other than “oh look there’s a pub”.

Four hand pulls on the main side of the bar and I believe another one or two on the other side. Doom Bar, Razor Back, Weetwood Cheshire Cat and two by Mobberley. The Mobberley Chinook looked the most promising but unfortunately was not available, so went for the Mobberley Town Crier Ale, which sounds like a regular house ale as it matches the description Graham Coombs gave in his 2020 review. Similar to his experience, it didn't do a great deal for me and was on the bland side. This set me back £3.90 for a pint, despite only asking for a half, the barmaid seemingly didn't hear me properly or wasn't paying attention. Very busy on a Saturday evening at 6pm, I only really called in as I had a bit of time to spare while waiting for a friend's train to arrive at the station. Fine to experience it but no desire to rush back. Football was on at the time, on many TV screens. A beer garden was signed but not investigated.

A large, lively and popular pub opposite the station, heavily refurbished and catering for all types with a mixture of seating and a beer garden behind. Suffers from a proliferation of TV screens and rather too-loud music but otherwise tolerable. Draught ales were IPA, Abbot, Doom Bar and a house ale from Mobberley which didn't do a great deal for me. Could be better, but could be a lot worse.

Large pub opposite railway station probably once a railway hotel, mercilessly modernised with just a little Victorian grandeur remaining. Four pulls of decently kept beer, 2 local ones plus Doombar and Greene King IPA, usual keggy stuff with Hophouse lager and Punk IPA as well. A little unlocal railway porn as decor.

This has now been totally refurbished. The inside layout has now changed with the place being a single open plan room with a central U-shaped bar. A total of 7 handpulls with 3 on the old part of the bar and 4 on the new extended room. The ales are still local beers and are pretty good. The new extended part of the pub is to your right - if you enter from the train station side - where you now have booth like seating, plus bar, instead of the toilets.