Ring o'Bells, Lancaster

The pub was sold last year and is now a free house - and still the same, basic locals boozer. Lancaster Blonde and Red on the bar this time. If you want a straightforward pub to meet friendly locals it’s absolutely fine. Hopefully the new owners will resist the temptation to change it too much.

Old-school terraced boozer, formerly a Mitchell's house, with a simple, traditional bar at the front, a plain rear room housing a pool table and a split-level (and slightly decrepit) patio beer garden at the back. Two Lancaster Brewery beers - Blonde and Amber (£3.30, so-so) - available from the four handpumps.

A decent city centre pub. This two-roomed pub has a traditional feel and the few locals who were in on my visit were very amiable. The front room houses the bar and there were 4 working handpulls with beers from Coniston, Moorland, York and Thwaites on my visit.

Another good locals pub and worth a visit. We were greeted by a friendly and chatty barmaid. This small traditional consists of two rooms. The front room consists of the bar over on the right, with some bar stools and some seating over by the window. The other side of the room had an open fire and seating. The rear room was very elaborate with oak panelling, this is were you find their new pool table. The barmaid showed us photos of the rear terraced garden in summer, which they were very proud of and is their hidden gem. Five handpumps, two in use on our visit. We tried the Coniston XB and the York Guzzler, both were very well kept.