The Joiners Arms, Lincoln

Traditional backstreet pub in an end-of-terrace position on a steep hill, with the main seating area being set three steps the compact bar. Eight handpumps, with Horncastle's Wicked Blonde and a pair from Fownd - Iron Duke (£1.90, half) and Keeper of Secrets - plus Lilley's Mango cider available.

This is a more traditional locals’ backstreet boozer, opposite the defunct Burton Arms. I went for the Fownd Iron Tusk which set me back a steep – for Lincoln – £1.90 a half and was good. This is a decent boozer.

I’m glad we did this one coming down from the Victoria as the pub sits on a steep incline and, although I fully took the point of a fellow crawler that you are much more unlikely to kill yourself walking uphill, I personally still prefer to be descending on a crawl when gradients like the one the Joiners Arms sits on are involved. Is it worth the effort to search this one out in the western back streets of Lincoln? Yes, it most definitely is. A very traditional friendly back street local where you enter and climb a couple of steps into the main thin bar area with some high bar chairs and a flat screen tele on the far wall, in which is an entrance into a more public bar area housing a pool table, dart board and the toilets. The main lower room looks like it has had a post pandemic makeover in recent years and looks very different from the Feb 2020 google pictures and is now a very comfortable main saloon area with its fireplace comfortable chair and stool seating and for our visit decorated with some impressive carved pumpkin examples for the time of year. Five of the seven handpumps were badged for our visit but with one reverse clipped, this left three ales alongside Lilly’s Mango Cider. The Ales were two from the birth child of the Weavers Real Ale House and Fownes Brewery amalgamation, Fownds Brewery (Keeper of Secrets Hoppy Pale Ale and Iron Tusk Mild) and Horncastle Wicked Blonde. I went for the mild and it was pleasant rather than spectacular but in good condition. What was a nice touch was that the price per pint was clearly displayed on the pump clips and all ales were either a very respectable £3.80 or £3.90. As one of our party commented, a proper back street drinking pub with proper prices and well worth its current inclusion in the GBG.

On the steep descent from the cathereral and castle ,this is a classic old school boozer with a friendly welcome and a lived in atmosphere.The interior is on two levels with at the higher side the bar a pool table and the loos while most of the seating is on the lower side,consisting of bench seating ,traditional tables and pooves.There is an upright piano,lots of bric a brac. The ale selection on my trip was Horncastle Wicked Blonde,Fownds Keeper of Secrets and Iron Tusk (NBSS 3.5) with a Mango Cider also on handpump.Prices were very modest. Worth sticking on a crawl list ,these small street corner pubs off the beaten track should be supported if at all possible,it was quiet on our Friday afternoon visit.Friendly and helpful guv'nor.

The Joiners Arms was completely dead when I walked in early on a recent Thursday evening, so there was no atmosphere, in fact it felt a little awkward, like I’d just invaded someone’s living room. The raised parquet floor bar area is in the right-hand side of the pub with a counter that runs along the right wall. Limited standard keg was available and three of the seven hand pumps were in operation drawing Billericay Brewing’s Gold Sovereign alongside Brentwood Brewing’s Charlie’s in Charge and Monarch Mild. At the end of the bar some steps lead down to a rear area with a pool table and a funfair type shooting range, a first in a pub for me. The seating is in the left-hand side of the pub where two exposed brick fireplaces on the left wall give the game away that this used to be two very small rooms. What was the front room has a wooden floor where seating runs across the front windows. What would have been the rear room has a tiled floor and more seating. On the wall between the fireplaces is a piano. The uncomfortable atmosphere, dim lighting and smell of old farts mean that I don’t plan on revisiting any time soon.

The Joiners Arms was my favourite pub of the day in Lincolnshire. It's a backstreet local boozer with a cosy lounge area, as you enter and a more basic drinking area with a pool table. I was impressed by the variety of the real ales and ciders here and the place was quiet enough to enjoy a relaxing drink, with friendly service. Real ales were Magpie Cherry Raven, Kelchner Hat-Trick, Britt Brewery Blonde & Parkway Beaky Blinder. The two ciders were Lilley's Mango Cider & SeaCider Bakewell Tart. Certainly one of Lincoln's better pubs.

As previously stated, this place is on two levels. Through the front door you find a room with a bar billiard table and a piano, both with tops on. Up a few steps to the bar on the right which had four hand pumps, the strongest of which was 5% ABV. The back room down the few steps again has a pool table, again with the top on. Not the worst place, I suppose, but not worth a return.

Had high hopes for this one, a terraced backstreet place a few minutes away from the throng of the city centre and GBG17 listed. Entered to find a pub that was either halfway through renovation (no signage though) or in a downward spiral of dilapidation. Split over two levels, with the upper bar having the football on and the larger, lower room with a completely naked floor stripped back to the concrete scree. A row of handpumps with just two on, Market Harborough Super Hop (good) and Milton (fine). Noted an unplayable bar billiards table. Despite it being full-swing festive season pubbing elsewhere in Lincoln, this place had one solitary customer and the atmosphere was…awkward. We drank-up quick and headed back to the B&B, bemoaning our final choice (we had earlier skipped the Cardinal because it looked too busy – oh the irony….).