Shrewsbury Arms, Stafford

I'd arranged to meet two friends here at the start of my first ever visit to Stafford, but my late train meant that I arrived just as they were leaving. I did pop my head around the door, but their account of some rather poor quality beer deterred me from having just a quick half. Our later experience at the other BCA pub in Stafford tended to confirm that this pub chain tends to have too many beers on for the trade they are getting, and if they continue to use their customers as quality assessors, they are going to have fewer of them in future.

Well described below, the pub had an excellent selection of Black Country Ales on – 10 different ales in total – which were well complemented by the fresh pork pies and crusty rolls. Today’s papers were available, the beer was in excellent condition, the atmosphere was highly convivial. Very much worth seeking out and a definite for a crawl.

Refurbished by Black Country Ales and now a well presented traditional pub with various seating / dining areas on three sides of the central servery. Plainly but attractively furnished and decorated, but the main draw is the selection of real ales and ciders from up to 13 handpumps. On this visit I found six of the former (including Sonnet 43's The Raven at £3.20 as one of the guests, and three of the brewery's own beers) and two of the latter (plus a couple more being dispensed from boxes on the bar-back).