Pubs Galore - the UK pub guide

A traditional town local that doesn’t have any real ale. It’s in what are now the backstreets, though still within spitting distance of the main road. The inetrior has been knocked through to form a single [-shaped bar, with a pool table at the back end alongside a jukebox and TV screen. The original Edwardian bar surround has been retained, making this at least a candidate for heritage status, though the rest of the pub is pretty run down. The locals were very welcoming indeed, far more so than in many other Bridgwater pubs. It’s a decent working boozer, but the lack of ale stops it being a destination of choice for me.

See Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdpyrah/6920113917 fort a photo of this pub in 1981. More recently it has been The Club Triangle and Triangle Diners Lounge, and present signage has it as Blu Ivy Bar & Grill, but a banner on the railings indicates it is about to be transformed into a Spirit care home.

Historic inn, with a sign spanning the High Street, and it is still provides accommodation. It has been remodelled / refurbished at some stage(s), but the semi-traditional interior initially appears to be the business. However, the four clips on the five handpumps proved to be a total illusion, with the reversed clip on the other being the only one that might actually relate to draught beer if you are luckier than me (with the others being bottled versions). Despite the usual "there isn't enough call for it nonsense", all the empty bottles on the counter and uncleared tables were from the owning Marston's range (Razor Back, Boon Doggle, Forty Niner, Old Empire IPA), so it appears to be "we can't be bothered" to me... What a shame!

Two ales on stillage on our visit, which were Northern Monk Eternal and Hammerton No. 1 pale. We went for the Northern Monk, which cost £5.70 for a pint and a half, which was fine considering it was such a good beer after the elevated prices in the nearby Imperial. The owner was pleasant and engaging, if slightly reserved. The downside for us was the choice of music being played, which was Damon Albarn. Ok the owner might like that type of dirge, but what about the customers. Empty green beer bottles in baskets hanging from the ceiling lamps gave the interior a green psychedelic hue, which made the interior quite cold looking. A collection of postcards around the entrance was very fitting, considering the name and the history of the chap who was jailed a hundred years ago for selling French postcards.

This is a typically compact Central London pub, just a short walk from Warren Street station, with a smuggling/nautical theme, which isn’t something you see all that often around the capital once you’re away from the river. Passing the roped off pavement area which was jam packed with far more people than were actually inside the pub, you enter into a bare boarded room with a good mix of chairs, low and high stools, pews and banquettes, mainly down either side of the room with a couple more tables and a good degree of standing room through the centre. The walls have a dark painted or lincrusta lower halves with plain uppers decorated with seafaring pictures, maps, a large pub mirror a ship’s wheel and bits of breweriana including large beer bottles with flowers in them on a shelf and a selection of brewery and spirit company mirrors. A couple of pillars partly block the view of the servery, which in on the rear wall, from the rest of the room. The bar has a typical dark wood counter with nice brass rails and a chunky bar back. A map-lined staircase to the right leads up to an unexplored first floor overspill seating area, whilst stairs to the left head down to the toilets. Indie music was playing in the background, but this was fairly easily drowned out by the smattering of customers within this loud room.
Just the one cask ale available on this visit – the improbably named Reunion Isotonic Gentleman’s Sports Drink – alongside an Orchard Pig cider and an unused hand pump. The Reunion beer was in reasonable condition and the barman was very friendly, offering customers tasters and advice on the beers they might enjoy.
This place doesn’t really stand out all that much from your average central London boozer, despite efforts to the contrary with the nautical theme, but I nevertheless found it a pleasant place to spend a bit of time before moving on again and wouldn’t mind popping in again sometime in the future.