The Borough Arms, Crewe

Genuinely thought this pub was closed. From the main road, there is no door and it looks well shabby. The beauty is inside. An upstairs bar with every walled and ceiling surface covered in pump clips. Belgian beers and cask a speciality. The side bar showing a line up of all your favourites! I missed Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild on first pass, but the Thornbridge Crackendale was a good as I have ever had their beers. (Except spoons, but Jaipur is £2.29 which covers over a lot of cracks :-) ) Downstairs drinking area and a rather nice beer garden. Exceptional - would be be my local, no doubt.

Grubby-looking exterior but the two-tiered cosy inside is a much better affair, a real pubman’s place and a look at the cask line-up made me salivate - nine on over 10 including Old Tom, Sarah Hughes, Titanic and 4x Oakham which means it’s a GBG shoo-in. Initially took the middle ground with the Cherry Porter, which was in great shape (NBSS 4). And followed-up with an Old Tom (3). Enjoyed the free sideshow of the Xmas decorations going up, it was like witnessing a military operation undertaken by the Chuckle Brothers. I thought this one was a belter – a proper destination venue for a session.