The White Lion, Aldershot

This was an Ind Coope pub according to my old Hampshire beer guide, probably Friary Meux due to the close proximity of Guildford . It's a small corner local that was only just opening up when I arrived at 13:00 on a Friday. The front bar is narrow and runs down the side of the pub. There is effectively a small square snug at the right of the bar up a few steps. At the left side of the main bar is a TV Screen, a dart board and an old CD Jukebox which looked good value at 5 plays for a quid. I didn't put anything on as there was a radio playing in the background. The TV screen was off apart from the landlord having a look at something or other. The bar has six hand pumps one of which was unused and one with Addlestone's Cider. The rest had the three Triple fff beers Alton Pride (£3.20), Moondance (£3.30) and Pressed Rat & Warthog (£3.00). There was a guest but it was from the dismal Cottage brewery Oarsome (£2.80). I tried the Alton's Pride which was excellent, a superb cooking bitter. At this point I decided to abandon the plan to visit another pub miles away and stay here for a while. I went onto the Moondance, a beer which I've enjoyed several times in the past but now seems to have even more hop flavour than I recalled. It sailed through the three pint test. I really liked this little place and would gladly return. It is a long trek from the station but in daytime the half hourly number 3 bus and the quarter hourly 20 "Kite" bus go from outside the station and stop at the Sainsbury's Local round the corner. Apparently the small, likeable and slightly daft yappy pub dog is OK with dog visitors but I suspect it would make itself scarce if a Great Dane or the like came in.