The Egerton Arms, Chester

A fairly nice, if standard pub at the end/start of the internationally flavoured Brook St. Its a L-shaped place with a small area to the left of the bar and beyond that a small beer yard. A pool table is also dominant to the left of the bar. To the right of the bar is a bagatelle table. One unclipped handpump on the bar. Despite no real ale on on my visit it was a friendly enough place. There are, however, better places nearby.

There was just the one ale on in here - Bombardier (£1.60 a half), and with no sign of any food on early Wednesday evening. Entering through the corner door signed as the public bar you are in a bare-boarded drinking area in front of the bar counter, and with a pool table dominating the space, plus one or two banquettes and normal tables and chairs. Around to the left and rear of the server is another, carpeted, room with more banquettes, normal tables and small stools. This room also has a dartboard, and a TV on showing some horse racing. It was reasonably quiet until some pop music started up in competition with the racing commentary. There’s a very small garden, a yard in fact, that seems to serve as a smoking area. This is an ordinary locals’ pub with nothing special about it. Wall décor seems to be drinks adverts. I found the pop music to be unnecessarily intrusive, and didn’t really think that as a visitor this pub is worth bothering with. However, I suppose the locals like it the way it is, and good luck to them.