Chequers, Grantham

Down the pedestrianised Butchers Row,,The interior benefits from a high ceiling giving an airy feel.There is a front seating area with a mix of furniture including some worn sofas.The flooring was pine throughout.The bar sits in the middle of the building and has an array of pump clips on the ceiling close by.The rear has a snug area,more sofas while you can wind around the rear of the bar back to the front.It's not plush and has a whiff of damp but given the chalkboard discounted shots and prosecco offering I expect the core audience will be younger folk who like loud music.It was more subdued on Monday lunchtime but at least there were 2 real ales with another clip reversed.Both the Zest Atomic IPA (NBSS 3.5) and Bakers Dozen Stamford Pale were in decent nick. A good pit stop and should be included in any real ale tour of town,the 2022 GBG entry seemed warranted.

Contempory wine bar with 4 real ales & music

A bit of a nightclub rather than pub. R shaped interior which was dark and dingy (or a ‘cosmopolitan contemporary bar’ if you are the local CAMRA branch). Four pumps with two ales; Bakers Dozen Straight Outta Ketton (poor) and Castle Rock Harvest Pale (under-par) plus Lilleys Mango cider. A half of each of the ales didn’t get us a GBG-quality serving which is unfortunate given this one is, er, GBG listed. Usually I’m happy enough to live and let live with more unusual places but I thought this one was poor overall, I wouldn’t see the need to return next time.