The Cutting Room, Melton Mowbray

A spoons-alike converted from a former cinema, the counter sits where the screen used to be under a mezzanine floor. It’s a long counter almost the full width of the building, having a forest of T-bars and solos with four pulls near the middle, serving a choice of a dire London Pride or Sharpe’s Coaster, Rosie’s Pig was on a third. The bar area in front of the counter is the full height of the building and shows the original curved roof with Deco decoration, seating here is tall. Further away the ceiling is low as is the seating, there’s a pool table and a machine in this area. Quite a number of screens dotted about , there’s a trio of machines by the front door and naturally piped music. A large mural dominates the wall opposite the counter showing local scenes. Toilets just up from the bottom of the stairs by the front door.

Official site of The Cutting Room - www.cuttingroommeltonmowbray.co.uk

Official site of The Cutting Room - www.cuttingroommeltonmowbray.co.uk

I'd passed these large premises earlier in the evening on my way to visiting other pubs in the town. But I had a feeling I might end up here, and so it transpired that the Cutting Room was my last stop on a Bank Holiday Monday evening visit to Melton Mowbray. I was pleasantly surprised and despite the fairly mundane interior, I rated this a close second to the Wetherspoon's as best pubs in the town. The crowd was a fairly young one. Greene King IPA is the regular ale. But they also had a guest beer, which was Marston's 61 Deep. To my surprise, they also had 6 Lilley's ciders - Strawberry, Tropical, Pineapple, Rhubarb, Sunset & Cherries & Berries. Not a bad way to finish what had been a fairly disappointing crawl.

Large Stonegate pub, very much in the Wetherspoon mould, located in a converted rear part of the Regal cinema (still operating behind the Art Deco frontage at the other end of the building). Standard corporate furniture, decor and menus. Reasonable offer from the six handpumps: Greene King IPA, Pedigree, Bombardier, Hobgoblin Gold, Grainstore GB Best (£2.65) and Old Rosie cider.