The Golden Cup Inn, Stoke-On-Trent

The Golden Cup Inn is a nice looking pub with a green tiled front that is situated just off Hanleys busy ring road. Once inside the bar faces and the room is fairly narrow with bench seating facing the bar and small stools,there are small areas at either end of this room extending to the rear of the pub with the right side having what looked like a tent for outside drinking off it ,the floor was carpeted throughout. There was a small TV above the fire place. There were four pumps on the bar with three unclipped this left me with a choice of Bass only which was quite apt as the sign outside says Bass Only,this was a decent enough drink. There were a few other locals in on my mid afternoon visit. This is a very basic pub that is worth the visit to see the outside tiling. Pub visited 1/6/2013

Well, looks like I'm the first to get here. Visited in March 2010 The Golden Cup Inn is a fine, traditional, smallish pub situated just outside the Potteries Way ring road on the edge of Hanley's shopping precinct, approx a mile and a half or so north of Stoke. The pub's immediate area is mainly dominated by light industrial units and derelict buildings and feels slightly isolated, even though the shopping centre is just the other side of the dual carriageway. The pub's frontage is memorable - and believed to be unique - with fine ceramic tiling advertising the delights of "Bass Only" and featuring the trademark red Bass triangle several times. Note also the Golden Cup Inn tiled sign on the wall at the upper floor level. Inside we find a small narrowish single bar with a fine bar back and several adjoining drinking areas at each end of the bar. It's traditionally decorated and comfortably furnished with padded seating, carpets and, despite a rather prominent and offputting " no public telephone, no toilets, no drugs" sign in large capital letters on the front door, a homely and welcoming atmosphere. On the morning of my visit - St Patrick's Day - the pub was obviously gearing up for the day's festivities and the afternoon racing at Cheltenham, and locals were enthusiastically discussing their racing tips. The pub had been open since 10 am and had been serving what appeared to be a hearty and substantial St Patricks Day breakfast. There's 4 handpumps and, despite the outside signage, was offering not only Bass, but also Greene King Abbott, which, I was rather surprised to conclude, appeared to be a regular fixture. I doubt there's much real ale trade here, but the Bass was in reasonable form at £ 2.50p. I quite liked this one - don't let the limited beer range put you off.