The Boathouse, Chester

Modern riverside tourist pub (though not really a ‘pub’) that very much has the feeling of being on a boat. You’ll even feel a bit seasick when you see the prices. Nice floating beer garden to watch the rowing going on, the club is next door. Three Lees ales on, MPA, Bitter and a seasonal Red ale. a relaxing spot but definitely not a place for a session.

Riverside Lees pub. Poshed-up inside and aimed squarely at a middle class audience. There’s a long, thin and snakey interior whilst the outside hosts Chester's “original floating beer garden” (is there now another?) which is in reality a moored flat and battered barge, not that exciting especially as it’s quite a dull stretch of the river Dee anyway. Their beach huts on terra firma are a much better bet. A number of unclipped pumps at the bar with just JW Lee's Bitter which was in fair nick (NBSS 2.5), if a bit warm and it looked like they don’t shift much of it. Staff all wearing purple and black quartered rugby shirts which whilst massively corporate at least looked a bit different and I ended-up quite wanting one. I guess it's worth a pop in but I wouldn’t prioritise it based on this visit.

This pub now boasts "Chester's only floating beer garden" which is basically river barge moored on alongside on the Dee and converted into a beer deck. Fair enough.