Horse & Dove, Uttoxeter

Classic micro with office-style ceiling tiles and laminate floor. Relatively well done, décor-wise (blue, cream and exposed brick) and a nice atmosphere with a mix of beards and locals. Three cask which seemed sensible on a hot day. My half of Harviestoun Stout was cool and in good nick (NBSS 3.5). Plenty of boxed ciders, a rare offering for these parts. It is of course GBG listed. Very good playlist – perhaps Will and I have differing tastes! I could have settled in here for longer if I hadn’t had more places to get done before the train back out. Maybe next time, I will.

Horse & Dove is a popular laminate floored shop converted micro that was busy during a recent Thursday evening visit. In fact I initially walked past and went to the Vaults on the other side of the square as there were no tables free. Half an hour later this wasn’t an issue, so I popped in to find several chatting groups dotted around the mix of high and standard tables throughout, and a friendly governor who was stood behind the serving counter in the right rear corner. Four of the six hand pumps were in operation drawing Wye Valley’s Butty Bach, a couple from Leather Britches Brewery and Rat Brewery’s All Rat Jazz. Craft keg was also available. There is a television, but it was off whilst some low background music played. The welcome was friendly and Wye Valley decent so I see no reason to not return if in the area.

Micro-pub in the non-square Market Square, with quite a plain (verging on stark, when illuminated at night) interior. That said, most people are here for the beer, so that's not really a problem. Four cask beers from the two banks of three handpumps. Wye Valley's Butty Bach (£4.00), Titanic Plum Porter and one each from Ossett and Collyfobble, with other interesting offerings coming next.

This is quite a large mircopub occupying the ground floor of a nice looking building on Uttoxeter's market place. The bar is to the rear, behind a couple of pillars, with the space between occupied by a group of regulars at the time of my visit. The space before the pillars is larger than in an average micro, so that the effect overall is much more like a regular pub, with people occupying their own tables and separated by plenty of space from others, so there's perhaps less fraternisation and conversation than might be in a more confined area. Of course, the background music could have something to do with that too; pretty awful it was as well. The beer choice was good and in good condition too. In a town seemingly dominated by Bass, it's good to see some other beers, and especially from Banks & Taylor, of which I had a half of their Old Bat 6%. I also had a half of Purple Moose Resolution 4.1% - four other beers were available (see photos). A quick look around told me that most of the late afternoon drinkers were on lager, though the crowd around the bar included one whose tipple was a bottle of Brewdog Punk IPA. Good grief.