Rat Race Ale House, Hartlepool

Famous tiny micro in the railway station with doors to the platform outside the ticket barrier, and to the street, only one platform is used here. Famous for the double yellow lines on the tables and nowadays some hectoring posters but once inside it’s very welcoming and you can see the point about the lines and the covid precautions. It will sit about 22 people if they’re friends. One of a limited number of decent places to drink in Hartlepool. A lady walked in and asked for half a lager in spite of the sign on the door saying “NO LAGER”, being put right she said she thought it was a joke. Weird place Hartlepool.

Visited on 19 July and enjoyed Tapped Oat Stout and Allendale Anvil IPA. Went baack later in the week and enjoyed Northern Monkey Sheephouse and Redwillow Feckless. Good place for conversation with locals lucky enough to have this microbar.

One small room with four real ales and two ciders clearly marked on the wall, together with what is to come next. No bar - you give your order to the landlord who brings you out your ale. Opens out to the platform at the back. Decent place.

Going back to 2009 the Rat Race is the second micropub to have opened after the Butcher's Arms in Herne village. It's the only one of eight visited in this neck of the woods that could be described as a true micropub with no music, TV, keg beers or as far as I could see spirits. It's set in the Hartlepool Station buildings in a room that has at various times been a waiting room, a cab office and a newsagent. On my early Wednesday afternoon visit there were about half a dozen or so in who by the sound of it were all CAMRA members. There was plenty of banter going on including from the Landlord who told me that after the start of the 2017/2018 football season he was going to do discount for card carrying members of the Accrington Stanley supporters club. The four beers on were Northallerton Snowstorm, Vibrant Forest Flying Saucer & Black Forest Porter and Rudgate Stars and Stripes. I went for the Stars and Stripes (£3.20) and Black Forest Porter (£3.10) both of which were in excellent condition. If you like micropubs then this is a must visit but check the opening times.

I called in here both before the match and while waiting for my train, which to be honest is more of a reflection on the paucity of good real ale pubs in Hartlepool than the excellence of this one. An odd place, with no bar and not much room when Luton Town real ale fans are around, but a good friendly atmosphere and excellent beer. There's no bar, so it's either sit and look thirsty or hang around near the door of the tap room. Beers are listed on the wall: I had Fat Brewer Black and Blue porter, which was very yummy. They have to close the door when a train comes in, apparently a condition of the licence, and you're not allowed to take glasses out. Plastic cups are available, but not for decanting undrunk pints; they're only available if you've also bought a carry-out container. I like the opening times notice on the door, done railway timetable style, with the bar always opening at two minutes past the hour, rather than on the dot.