Hogarths, Lancaster

Quite like this one and certainly the beer is cheap enough, but liked it better when the large Hogarth prints were on the walls which have now been taken over with large TV screens.

Usual 'gin palace' conversion of a substantial old building with large windows on three floors, but perhaps not as fancy as some of this chain's other outlets. The various seating / dining areas - including a small mezzanine at the front - were surprisingly busy for late on a Sunday afternoon, but the explanation proved to be live football on a few discreet TV screens. Three real ales on handpump: Hobgoblin Gold, Wells' dreaded Eagle IPA and (thankfully) Hay-Maker from Lancaster Brewery (just £2.30).

I suspect that what one finds in this pub will vary with the time of day and week. It was fairly quiet at the time of my midweek afternoon visit, with no more than half a dozen other punters and one person serving. There's a balcony and another room upstairs, so they can probably fit 200 at weekends. Just as well it was quiet, as I had to draw the server's attention to the fact that my half was well short of 85% of 284ml, never mind the 95% required by law. This was Lancaster Bomber, originally brewed here in Lancaster by Mitchells, then in Blackburn by Thwaites, now who knows where? It wasn't particularly good; the other beers were two more from the Marstons stable plus a beer called Glacier from Lancaster Brewery's micro plant, which I swerved as being unlikely to suit my palate. I like the way Hogarths do their pubs, with fake Edwardian fittings, well-kept real ales and reasonable prices (£2.20 a pint). Actually, the prices are so low that even my 85% of a half would still have been good value. I almost felt ashamed for asking for a top up.