The Kings Head, Appleby Town Centre, Appleby-In-Westmorland

A big, blank-faced building which dominates this narrow entrance to the town centre. Since my previous visit here five years ago, when it was hard to say if it was open or not, there has been an effort to make it more approachable. Once inside there is a foyer and an entrance to the bar on the left. This was quite lively, as England were playing Wales and it seemed like a lot of local workers had taken the afternoon off to watch. There are a couple of hand pumps on the bar, but most people were drinking lager, as far as I could see. There was just one beer on, a rebadged Theakstons beer called Kings Ransom Ale. This was so devoid of taste and condition that we really struggled to drink it - if it tastes of nothing and doesn't even have the mouth feel of a beer, then what's the point? There's Appleby Brewery a few miles outside town: why don't they try serving some of their beers here? Maybe some of the lager drinkers would convert. Date of visit: 16th June 2016