The Broughton Arms, Stoke-On-Trent

The Broughton Arms is an unexceptional Marstons chain pub with the only real distinguishing features being a conservatory and terrace which both overlook the Trent and Mersey Canal. The menus are standard pub chain large plastic affairs which offer standard pub chain food. I went for a pork and beef burrito for £6.95 and decided to treat myself to extra cheese for a further 50p. The burritto tasted, as expected, as though warmed from a packet but I could only find 3 strands of grated cheese. Either the extra cheese was forgotten or 50p simply doesn't buy a lot of cheese. Either way I didn't feel that I received value for my 50p. The four handpumps were drawing Pedigree, Pedigree New World Pale Ale, Burton Bitter and Hobgoblin. We tried the former two which were in good shape. In a change from darts, pub quizzes, live music or televised sport, The Broughton Arms had a resident antiques expert on our Wednesday lunchtime visit. This attracted a steady stream of customers with a wide variety of objects for the expert to assess so a popular feature and one I've never encountered in a pub before. As Mr. F. notes below, The Broughton Arms provided a welcome drink on Heartbreak Hill and if you need an object assessing by an expert it's the place to head for.