The Albert Inn, Hitchin

This is a fairly basic local’s pub that seemingly picks up a decent amount of passing trade by virtue of being the closest pub to Hitchin station. The pub has a decent sized seating space to the front and a couple of narrower seating areas either side of the servery, which is located off-centre to the rear of the room. The bar has a plain panelled counter front with a dark wood canopy and mirrored bar back. The room is carpeted and broken up by a large pillar right in the very middle of the pub, which implies that the room was once divided into two by a wall running from the front to back down the centre. The walls are painted in an off-white shade for the most part, with a notable coloured feature wall to the rear. Seating is kept to basic tables and chair arrangements in the front section, although these give way to a couple of low benches in front of a fireplace to the rear left, which were next to what I assumed were two low tables but could just as easily be a couple more benches. A couple more tables have been squeezed into the very narrow space to the right of the servery, although it looked like things might open out a little to the very rear here, but I didn’t get around to properly exploring. Modern etched glass windows bear the pub’s name and other decorative features are limited to various lino cut prints dotted around the room and not a whole lot else. A door behind the bar leads down to a small basement room of little interest and a decent enough beer garden, with additional outdoor seating also available in a small walled-off area to the front of the pub. Music played quietly in the background and there were only a handful of other customers in on a late Thursday evening, resulting in a bit of a lifeless atmosphere compared to several other pubs around town. I think there were just two handpulls on the bar, one of which was unclipped, leaving the sole option of Butcombe Bitter, which was in reasonable shape. I had to wait quite a while to get served, as the bar was unmanned on arrival, but the landlady eventually emerged, offering apologies as she’d been out the back trying to fix some bit of malfunctioning kit. I found this place a little to basic and characterless to properly warm to, although the friendly service and lack of pretentions were definite plus points. As far as station pubs go, you could do a lot worse than while away the time here until your next train, but to properly appreciate what Hitchin’s pub scene has to offer, I’d suggest exploring elsewhere first.

A rough-and-ready corner-plot boozer between the station and town. A few choice characters were parked on the benches out front and the interior came across a little dingy with most of the benches surrounding the staple-shaped bar occupied, and meant a stare or two in my general direction. Despite the misgivings, five pumps were spotted, although only two were in action, offering Woodforde's Wherry and Adnam's Broadside (Tring's Colley Dog was reversed). Plumping for the Wherry, the bespectacled, grey pony-tailed barman poured me a pint than asked me to taste - it looked and tasted OK, but he wasn't happy with the colour (he thought it had poured cloudy) and insisted I take a pint from a fresh barrel already racked. After clearing the lines and pulling through, he still wasn't happy so offered me the Broadside at no additional cost: great customer service and something I wasn't expecting from outwards appearances. Always good to be surprised, but it's no destination venue.

The Albert Inn is a corner pub that is fairly close to Hitchin train station. Once inside the bar faces in a single roughly U shaped room,the floor is carpeted and there is comfy bench seating and small stools and normal tables and chairs for seating. There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Tring Side Pocket,which was a nice drink,i also noted Adnams Broadside. The background music was Rock type which i like. I thought this was a very pleasant and comfortable pub to have a drink in. Pub visited 17/6/2017

The first and last pub of our Hitchin jaunt yesterday, being the closest to the railway station. A vaguely U-shaped layout but angled along one outside wall, there is a horseshoe bar and a pool table to one side. Seating is traditional at small tables and with a long banquette down the angled wall, a patterned carpet has seen better days, a pair of brick fireplaces look like they get some use but it was unseasonably mild yesterday. A pair of screens had the 6 Nations rugby on to an interested crowd, strangely one TV has a drinking ledge directly in front of it. An outdoor yard has seating surrounded by logs and beer casks and is where the gents are accessed via stone steps from the bar. There were three on at lunchtime, 3 Brewers Golden English Ale, the excellent Tiny Rebel Cwtch and Red Squirrel London Porter. Our evening return, some seven hours or so later was a bit more hazy, one beer had changed, the 3 Brewers I think but I didn't record it's successor. There was a band on now, around ten of them crammed into an end mock up stage but they seemed to be having amp difficulties. This was a fine pub to begin and close our day in Hitchin and I'd visit again for the decent beer and friendly service.

A proper old school boozer,on a street corner not far from the station.At some stage the interior must have been opened out as along the left hand wall there are two unused fireplaces.There is a pool table on this side,the L shaped bar is at the far end of the room with a curved banquette to the right.Comfortable bench seating with brittania tables and stools runs along the right side,while bar stools are dotted about for regualrs to pertch on. There is a juke box with interesting sounds,and live jazz plays here .There was a friendly welcome from behind the bar where there a 7 handpumps dotted about but only two ales on my trip Jennings Cumberland and Haresfoot Old Tiney Plum Porter (decent nick ,£3.50) Although a bit worn at the edges,this is an authentic place with a good atmosphere and should be included on any ale tour around town.

First pub on small circular (actually, bottle-shaped) crawl of Hitchin ystdy. Only me in there at 12:30 but pool table & large darts area suggests a pub for locals & regulars. Spitfire was in good nick, also had Pride & Wells' Eagle. Nothing over-special at lunchtime but I imagine it shows true character when busier.