The White Lion, Machynlleth

Sadly this pub is no longer a welcoming place, its scraping along due to a manageress that's been their decades. The proprietor is behind a number of failed pubs and manages to do so in exceedingly prompt manner. He was in charge of The Red Lion very briefly that's now recovering with a enthusiastic landlord with a unique outlook. Check Trip Advisor and The Rhydypennau Inn, Bow Street, the ''Disgusting Chef era reviews are from his time in charge. Now here, it's the only pub priced food in town, it sells a selection of real ale, these aren't well kept all the time its better when the Manageress is on. The day trippers, incomers and tourists come here as it looks the most inviting from the outside and has been done up, its quite bland on the food side and rooms are old, and has a fire, but once you get to know the place you inevitably meet the Landlord which is the beginning of the end for most locals.

I can clearly remember this one being a Banks's house and in fact stayed here for a night many years ago. I don't know when Marston's sold it to Punch but given the new owners my expectations were low. You enter into the main area which is a single old beamed open plan room split into areas. The bar counter is over to the far left and a huge TV screen was turned off. There is a further area tucked around the back. It may be misleading to describe it as a hotel bar or food led as it's very much a normal town pub used by locals and visitors alike. On my February Wednesday afternoon visit it wasn't busy but there was an assorted crowd in. The bar has six hand pumps which were all in use and had Cwrw Llyn Crys Coch, Sandsptone Tap Tackle, Marstons Bombardier Gold, Theakston Double Cross IPA, Cwrw Cader Cwrw Coch and Big Bog Hinkypunk. I went for the Crys Coch and the Cwrw Coch (both £3.20) which were both in excellent condition. I later spotted a single unused pump which is used for cider in the summer months. I thought this was the best pub of five visited in Mach (The White Horse is a late opener) and goes to show that Punch and Enterprise houses don't have to be poor.

Popular food-led pub and hotel with an impressive façade and a porticoed entrance. Opened out inside to leave fair-sized bar and dining areas separated by a single step, but also retaining another smaller room at the back. Semi-traditional furniture and decor, with a few benches out front and a beer garden at the back of the car park. Seven handpumps on the counter, offering a good range of six beers plus a cider. None seemed particularly local, so I went for the J Buckley Original Best (which I'm guessing does at least come from Wales).