The Old Harkers Arms, Chester

Given the detail in the reviews below my contribution will be brief. This a very well done, upmarket conversion of a canal warehouse which was busy on the Sunday evening when we visited and is, I suspect, always so. It feels like a nice place for a beer and the staff were friendly and knowledgable. We moored outside and the Old Harkers is perfectly situated with boat, pub, Thai/Japanese restaurant and upmarket curry house all within 20 yards. Regular beers are Bruning & Price Original Bitter, Weetwood Cheshire Cat and Flowers Original with the latter two being their biggest sellers. Guests on our visit were: Deuchars IPA (why?), Robinsons Trooper, Weetwood Eastgate Ale, Hawkshead Cumbrian 5 Hop, Hobsons Best 38 and Titanic Plum Porter. An excellent selection and all that we tried was in good nick. The Flowers Original is worth a special mention as this has, until now, been a pale shadow of its Stratford brewed best. It is now brewed in Gwent and as served here was just as good as I remember it. That alone made the Old Harkers worth a visit. Not to be missed if in Chester.

Revisited this Brunning and Price owned pub after 5 year gap,and pleased to say it was just as good as before.A ground floor conversion of a canalside wharehouse the interior is largely open plan apart from the restaurant section to the left.There are cast iron supporting pillars and radiators,and a good selection of traditional pub furniture,with some large banquettes along one wall beneath a library of hardbacks.Wood paneling done well,it feels classy with some loose rugs covering the wooden floor together with interesting framed prints on the walls. Unlike some pubs in this chain,food does not dominate proceedings .On my Sunday evening trip ,most punters were there to drink and given it's location near a lot of waterside bars and restaurant,this place is lively with a good mix of age groups. The L shaped bar has two banks of five handpumps with regulars in the shape of a house bitter brewed by Phoenix and Flowers Original.The other pumps have rotating guests which included the excellent Titanic Plumb Porter and Hawkeshead Cambrian Five Hop (£3.60)on my visit. Having moored outside,our intention was to crawl around the better 2014 GBG pubs in Chester,but with a curry house next door and tip top ale inside (again),there was no incentive to move.A great pub,which should always be on the list to visit in this attractive city.