The Joiners Arms, Lincoln

The Joiners Arms was completely dead when I walked in early on a recent Thursday evening, so there was no atmosphere, in fact it felt a little awkward, like I’d just invaded someone’s living room. The raised parquet floor bar area is in the right-hand side of the pub with a counter that runs along the right wall. Limited standard keg was available and three of the seven hand pumps were in operation drawing Billericay Brewing’s Gold Sovereign alongside Brentwood Brewing’s Charlie’s in Charge and Monarch Mild. At the end of the bar some steps lead down to a rear area with a pool table and a funfair type shooting range, a first in a pub for me. The seating is in the left-hand side of the pub where two exposed brick fireplaces on the left wall give the game away that this used to be two very small rooms. What was the front room has a wooden floor where seating runs across the front windows. What would have been the rear room has a tiled floor and more seating. On the wall between the fireplaces is a piano. The uncomfortable atmosphere, dim lighting and smell of old farts mean that I don’t plan on revisiting any time soon.

The Joiners Arms was my favourite pub of the day in Lincolnshire. It's a backstreet local boozer with a cosy lounge area, as you enter and a more basic drinking area with a pool table. I was impressed by the variety of the real ales and ciders here and the place was quiet enough to enjoy a relaxing drink, with friendly service. Real ales were Magpie Cherry Raven, Kelchner Hat-Trick, Britt Brewery Blonde & Parkway Beaky Blinder. The two ciders were Lilley's Mango Cider & SeaCider Bakewell Tart. Certainly one of Lincoln's better pubs.

As previously stated, this place is on two levels. Through the front door you find a room with a bar billiard table and a piano, both with tops on. Up a few steps to the bar on the right which had four hand pumps, the strongest of which was 5% ABV. The back room down the few steps again has a pool table, again with the top on. Not the worst place, I suppose, but not worth a return.

Had high hopes for this one, a terraced backstreet place a few minutes away from the throng of the city centre and GBG17 listed. Entered to find a pub that was either halfway through renovation (no signage though) or in a downward spiral of dilapidation. Split over two levels, with the upper bar having the football on and the larger, lower room with a completely naked floor stripped back to the concrete scree. A row of handpumps with just two on, Market Harborough Super Hop (good) and Milton (fine). Noted an unplayable bar billiards table. Despite it being full-swing festive season pubbing elsewhere in Lincoln, this place had one solitary customer and the atmosphere was…awkward. We drank-up quick and headed back to the B&B, bemoaning our final choice (we had earlier skipped the Cardinal because it looked too busy – oh the irony….).

This pub occupies the last two cottage buildings in a terraced row and has a rear patio. The pub is Victorian and in undressed brick, with a black and white lower frontage around the main door. There are in fact two entrances and there are rounded sash windows on the upper floor. The interior is on two levels, as the pub occupies two former buildings. We entered into the squarish bar area and you have to go up a few steps, under a large beam, to actually get to the serving bar. The decor is wood and white, with a white ceiling and patterned carpet. There is a small tiled fireplace (blocked) and a pool table and dart board. Mirrors, drawings and beer mats provide the interest on the walls. The immediate bar surround has a tiled floor and a wood panelled bar. Down a little passage there is a box room in the same decor with paintings on the walls (for sale?) and other pictures. There was a TV here with Epsom horse-racing. There was no music. The service was really friendly and just one other guy was in at out early visit. Beer; usual taps stuff with Banks's Bitter, Brakspear Bitter, Wychwood Hobgoblin and a decent Vale Brewery's Red Kite on handpull A nice little pub, friendly with good beer - definitely worth a visit.