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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Fountain Inn, Leek
Leek
ST13 6JR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Will Larter left this review about The Fountain Inn
It's not often I find 90% of the customers older than me when entering a pub these days, so it must be a really good cask beer pub. Six beers on at the time of my visit, and having gone for Bass in the two previous pubs, I went for it again. After scores of 3 and then 3.5, this one was NBSS 4. The exterior of this pub is painted in the inexplicably popular dark grey, and the interior is largely fake , but I quite liked it anyway. I hope they have some younger regulars too.
On 26th October 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 4273 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
Strongers . left this review about The Fountain Inn
The Fountain Inn is L-shaped with wood floor throughout and a few well positioned rugs. To the right of the central entrance is a brown faux leather banquette that sits under the front window and a fireplace sits adjacent to a bookshelf on the right-hand wall. An identical banquette sits under the left front window and another fireplace sits on the left-hand wall opposite the one to the right. More brown banquettes run up the left-hand wall to another fireplace left rear where lots of chopped logs are stored. In the left rear is the ‘snug’ with banquettes up the side walls and the kitchen door at the rear. I thought this area felt more like a corridor with seating, it certainly isn’t a snug. The serving counter on the rear wall serves the main bar area and a tile floored L-shaped bar to the right where a dartboard resides. I counted ten hand pumps that were drawing Burton Bridge Brewery’s Stairway to Heaven and Bridge Bitter, Wye Valley’s Butty Bach, Beartown’s Best, M&B’s Brew XI, Bass, St Austell’s Tribute, Salopian’s Oracle and two ciders, one from Lilley’s and another from Westons. The service was polite and the Bass was good, this place is certainly a must if in Leek.
On 19th October 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Fountain Inn
Fine old pub on the edge of the town centre, with a seemingly unaltered interior having different seating areas on three sides of the central servery. All very traditional, including the lively banter between various groups of locals. An impressive bank of ten handpumps is located directly opposite the entrance, offering a great range of real ales from different breweries, a cider and a perry. After some dithering while a good natured dispute about the acceptable head on a pint was resolved, I went for a (very full) pint of Burton Bridge's anniversary Ruby Red - good value at £3.30.
On 21st March 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Fountain Inn
The Fountain feels very much a traditional, local boozer despite being only a stones throw from the centre.
There are some nice touches here including the real fireplaces and the atmosphere is friendly and gentle.
Beers on were Facers North Star Porter, Bass, Springhead Outlawed, Thornbridge Jaipur IPA, Falstaff Cassius Mild, St Austell Tribute and Salopian Oracle. One hand pump was being changed and there were two ciders on.
Not at all a bad selection and I thoroughly enjoyed the Jaipur IPA but it didn't quite come up to the Earl Grey's level.
Another of Leek's gems.
On 18th June 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 683 recommendations about 682 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Fountain Inn
A very traditional boozer,the front door leads directly to the bar with it's array of 10 handpumps.To both sides of the servery there are impressive fireplaces with beautifully polished walnut surrounds,there is lots of quality ephemera and good looking and comfortable seating of different kinds.There is a rear snug,a darts board,flatscreens that were off on my visit and a walled beer garden.The landlord was drinking with the regulars around the bar and was a very engaging fellow, full of good advice on both beer and the local drinking scene.
There were two ciders,and a mix of real ales with some national brands and some small brewers output.Thornbridge Jaipur was the high ABV option,with quite a few more modest strength beers and my Facers North Star Porter was well kept if a little predictable.
There is a strong community feel here and all women groups were in evidence given the calm atmosphere.Maybe not quite at the top of Leek's real ale scene,as a local boozer it's a very comfortable place to sink a pint or two.
On 7th June 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2936 recommendations about 2936 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Fountain Inn
What a great find this was on our visit to Leek with not just an impressive display of real ales across the bar, but ales from some lesser known breweries. We chose Deeply Vale DV8 and Weal Ales Weally Hopper which were both fine. There are different seating areas and a sun terrace at the rear. There is a collection of Good Beer Guides going back to the 70's and the first one is ever so thin compared to those coming out now. Brilliant place to visit.
On 9th September 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Fountain Inn
A lovely little pub just off the town centre. 3 roomed with a small beer yard to the rear. The room on entering houses the servery and to either side there are 2 snuggy rooms. 10 handpumps on the bar with 8 for real ale and 2 for cider. Beers from Wincle, Derventio, Falstaff, Bass Bitter, St Austell and First Chop on today. Well worth a visit.
On 4th May 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Fountain Inn
The pub was refurbished last year and is now a free house. The pub has a traditional interior with cream painted walls, small wall pictures and various ornaments and a bookshelf on the right near the open fireplace. The bar was central with a small room leading off on the right, which had a darts board, fruit machine and tv. There was also another slightly larger room leading off on the left-hand side of the bar, which had various tables and chairs and bench seating. The front lounge had dark brown, buttoned leather banquette seating in one section, and deep green fabric banquette seating on the opposite side.
The bar had five ales on handpump, so we went for the Abbeydale Moonshine and Buxton Blonde. Both ales were excellent, this is a very well kept pub, with a friendly owner and drinkers. A pub well worth a visit.
On 29th May 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Fountain Inn
The Fountain is a small back street pub that is close to the town centre.
Once inside this pub has been opened out into one room and there is also a seperate pool room at the back of the pub.
This is a Marstons tied house and there was only one of their beers on the bar this was Marstons bitter and this was quite a nice drink.
This was a fairly decent pub to have a drink in.
On 12th December 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]