The Royal Exchange, Stone

The Royal Exchange is a Titanic Brewery pub with a small black and white chequered floor area to the left of the entrance where banquette seating is found around a front bay window that faces a fireplace on the left-hand wall and a dartboard on the rear. Bare boarded to the right of the entrance a banquette and table sit under the front window and a log fire was burning in the fireplace on the right-hand wall. High tables with very uncomfortable seats then run up the right opposite the bar counter that is split down the centre into two sections, each with six hand pumps. Titanic’s own Glacier, White Star, Iceberg, Steerage and Plum Porter were available alongside Everard’s Tiger. I decided to have my second pint of Plum Porter of the day, which was spot on. The food stretches to pork pies that are displayed at the end of the bar and are available in different sizes. A step at the rear leads up to a raised carpeted square seating area with an exposed brick fireplace with burner in the rear wall. After attempting to sit at the high tables across from the bar I gave up to find somewhere more comfortable, so sat in this section where I enjoyed my pint whilst looking at the naval stuff on the walls. This was by far the best pub I visited in Stone and would gladly return.

Excellent Titanic alehouse, with a two-part bar, a separate lounge to the left of the entrance and a further slightly raised seating area at the back. All pleasingly traditional in terms of furniture, decor and atmosphere. With a bank of six handpumps on each part of the counter, I found seven of the brewery's own beers - including the White Star (£3.40) - plus four guests (in a variety of styles) available. Overall, very impressed.