The Tavern, Whitehaven

Greeted with a roaring open fire and a friendly face behind the bar. There was the usual selection of draught, bottles and spirits with two hand pumps. I had half of each one, both of which were very tasty, one a local brew and the other a guest. There was a nice gathering of people having a sing along with a guitar and the owner was on hand to tell me about the rich history of the building which was very interesting. I will definitely return to this jewel of a pub on my next visit to Whitehaven.

This is a terraced pub that was completely refurbished after a fire several years ago. It is in the GBG (2012 and 2013). The pub is in a Georgian style, or earlier and is in green with cream around the door and window sills. The upper windows are new, the lower still look like tradional sash windows. The interior has a couple of rooms downstairs. There is an upstairs bar i didn't see. The front room is the bar and has stone and white walls, a stone fire, with a wood floor. There is a stone partition, perimeter seating (with tables and chairs) and a stone newel staircase leading up to the bar. The serving bar has a beer mat collection for interest. The back room has a pool table, a stone well feature and a gravestone in the wall. It is in purple, white and stone. Both rooms have TVs - not on at my daytime visit. There was no background music. The service was really friendly and there were just a couple of other people in. Beer; usual tap stuff with a decent Crossbay Sandpilot and Ossian Inveralmond on handpull. This was a great little pub, nice beer and friendly service. I look forward to a return.

Absolutely grim pub. Nothing at all to recommend it, and in fact I couldn't wait to leave. Bit like a youth club that is stuck in time. Very very strange atmosphere, and definitely one to avoid.

This is a truly strange pub. Staff totally uninterested in normal drinkers on my visit, but seemed to be encouraging a group of six extremely loud individuals. I couldn't work out if they were drunk or on something else - either way staff and security stood and laughed as they insulted and flicked drink at other customers that they didn't appear to know. The beers and wines were not particularly good, and to be honest its the quickest we've ever drank two glasses of wine. Definintely one to avoid, actually felt pretty threatening, like I was back in a pub in the 70's