Aqueduct Inn, Llangollen

Visited in September 2009 The Aqueduct Inn is a smallish roadside pub on the main A5 road in the village of Froncysyllte, approx 4 miles south from Llangollen and close to the famous "canal in the sky". When I first visited this pub a few years ago, it was a slightly run down but characterful Marstons pub, retaining evidence of even earlier days as a Border Breweries pub. The hanging pub sign now indicates that Admiral Taverns have acquired this pub. The interior has been sanitised somewhat and much of the original character has disappeared. There's a carpeted games room on the right ( snooker table, dartboard ) and a comfortable lounge on the left designed for dining. The small central bar is bare boarded and, on my recent visit, was dominated by a smallish but loud flat screen TV. There's a new small outside decking area at the back of the pub which affords views of the canal, but not the aqueduct itself which is round a corner in the canal and largely hidden by trees. Prince Charles popped in to this pub in March 2009, but there's no evidence of this apart from a framed letter of thanks from Clarence House. 2 real ales were on when I visited - Brains SA and Morlands Speckled Hen. The Brains was in good nick. Despite the pub being on the main A5 road to Holyhead and close to this tourist site, I was virtually the only customer in the pub during the lunchtime period of 10 September, although the friendly young Welsh landlady told me it had been much busier the day before. It's not a particularly inspiring pub, but it's open all day and currently serves food from 12-4 and 6-9 if you fancy popping in.