Pubs Galore - the UK pub guide

Initially unpromising, this cafe bar is pleasant inside, and the upstairs almost spectacular. No cask beers on at the moment but maybe when the weather improves. My half of Guinness was £3, which doesn't make a revisit very alluring.

Closes in the afternoon. Looked entirely set for dining when I peered through the window so decided not to miss the bus back in order to ascertain whether you can indeed still a) just drink and b) cask.

Visited 02/05/25. Visited first for tick on 28/09/20 and many times before and since!

No cask but an interesting craft selection on tap as well as in bottles, comprising a few from Lewes craft brewers (the Faust Pilsner and the Its Came From God cacao stout both from Abyss and the Paradise IPA from Beak) plus regulars the Shaka pale ale from House Brew Co and the Pilot cider from Ascension.

This is a large airy L shaped bar in the arty cinema by the train station. There is a large outside seating area at the front, a mixture of grass and paved with a lot of picnic style benches of different sizes as well as some regular comfy seating with large umbrellas and parasols providing shade on a hot late Friday afternoon visit. Inside the bar counter is against the rear wall to the right of the entrance and the tables and chairs over in that area are generally reserved for diners. To the left of the entrance beyond the cinema check in desk are several rows of facing sofas with tables between each set. Off to the left of the rear of this area is the more regular seating array of tables and chairs, the area generally popular in the day with people going there to work on their laptops. High ceilings, all the doors throw open, lots of glass panes, white walls and a light polished concrete floor makes for a very bright space on sunny days. Not a destination but a pleasant venue to sit and kill some time either hoping off or awaiting a train or attending the cinema.

Worth visiting and surprisingly easy to get to on public transport from Worcester - provided you are happy with the half mile walk from either main road.

I was always led to believe this is the only pub on consecrated land in the UK - one of my guide books says it is one of two - and AI suggests, plausibly, that the Ring of Bells in Kendal is the other.

Now in the 2026 Good Beer Guide, I thought I would make a revisit. Of course, it is totally unchanged - three rooms - a busy but small main bar - where you can see the wares. HPA or Butty Bach remembered. A rear dining room - with rather a lot of pubby tat (boxes of glasses) stuffed in any space. A wall sized mural of how the pub would have looked in 1745 drawn by someone who doesnt use art in their day job. Fine views of the Malverns. Finally, a smoke room/snug with hanging mugs from the rafters.

All timeless, all very pleasant and for its relatively remote location, good to see so busy on a Friday lunch

In the middle of Kirkbymoorside, a small Yorkshire town, two Swans stare at each other across the Market Place. At 14:45 on a Friday the White Swan was closed so, leaving that for another day I ventured to the dark side and visited the Black Swan. The pub is very old. Inside there are two large bar areas. What might be described as the lounge to the left. This was set out for food which is available from 17:00. To the right the public bar. This had modern wood floorboards and banquette seating running beneath the front windows. The sizeable wood bar had a bit of age but the general feeling was that the place had been a little unsympathetically done up in the last few decades. However beams were still exposed and the fairly low ceiling contributed to a comfortable atmosphere. The only really negative was the wide screen TV permanently showing sports guff. But that is a positive for many people so I shouldn’t complain. To the back a separate area housed a pool table. Beer wise Timothy Taylor’s Golden Best and Landlord were on hand pump and the usual Guinness/Eurofizz selection on a bridge font. With trepidation I ordered a half of the Landlord (£2.20). Once my favourite beer I fear it has dropped in quality this century. I was therefore pleasantly surprised that it was a nice pint, well looked after and a glimpse of its glory days (NBSS 3.5). The bar staff were very friendly, chatty and welcoming. I was the only customer when I arrived but around 15:15 locals started to drift in. This is the sort of place that I could easily spend a few hours, chatting and drinking good if unimaginative beer. I would happily return but probably not for the karaoke which I was informed was on Saturday. I give it a 7/10 but with a more interesting beer selection it could graduate to an 8/10.