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The Champion, Norwich
Norwich
NR2 1SE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Old Boots left this review about The Champion
A Batemans house with two bars, not much to distinguish between them. As you enter there are bars to left and right. The lefthand bar has three pulls of Batemans, the one to the right has a wider choice of Batemans on five pulls, the beers included Batemans 5G, XB and XXXB as well as Black Sheep bitter. Old style decor, with white anaglypta over brown tongue & groove, decorated with sporting photos of various champions. A collection of beer and pump clips line the picture rail level of both main bars. The right hand room continues back and there’s a little snug off of it as well. Beer quality is well up to the mark, a worthy GBG entry.
On 21st April 2024
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]
paulof horsham left this review about The Champion
The ale range may not excite anyone looking for the latest in Pale Ales (though Oakham Citra was available), but the prices are hard to fault, with a pint of Bateman's XB and a large bag of Quavers coming in under £5 - the lunchtime time menu having recently finished, somewhat restricting my eating options.
Traditional in the fixtures and fittings as well, with wood for the boarded flooring, seats and tables, but it made for a relaxed stop, though I could have done without the pop soundtrack, it being overly intrusive as well as uninteresting. That apart, The Champion's a worthwhile stop just outside the centre.
On 16th November 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Champion
The Champion has seating to the left of the entrance that is served by a corner of the bar that goes through into the right hand-side of the pub. I think there were nine hand pumps in total that were drawing Bateman’s XB, XXXB and Gold alongside Oakham’s Citra and a Weston’s Rosie’s Cider. Food is available lunchtimes and evenings, although there were no diners during my recent Thursday evening visit. Banquette seating runs under the front and right hand windows and there is more seating in areas at the rear, one of which was hosting a very quiet guitar practice session by some young ladies. The piano stood unused, but there was some background music coming out of the jukebox, and live music is advertised. For those that like a bit of history, the remains of the ancient city wall are located over the road. I liked it in here and would gladly return.
On 23rd April 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Champion
I've got a bit of a soft spot for Batemans beers, so I was looking forward to visiting the Champion: I was not disappointed. It's just outside the city centre, isolated by a busy main road, and this has the benefit of making it a locals pub whereas others a street or two away are for shoppers and tourists. As a beer tourist myself I like to think that I'm a sort of temporary local, but as I was setting out on a twelve pub crawl of Norwich, who did I think I was kidding?
The five hand pumps on the bar had a cider and Woodforde's Wherry as well as three from Batemans: XB, XXXB and Yellabelly. I had the XB, having found that XXXB is too much of a good thing when visiting several pubs in one day. As I wrote my notes I observed the group around the bar, who seemed to be settling in for a bit of a session. If the weather had turned out to be too bad for my projected crawl around the city, it occurred to me that there must be many worse places to be marooned than this.
On 30th January 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3746 recommendations about 3483 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Champion
Another good Batemans pub to visit, has 5 well-kept ales. The pub is an L shaped lounge and bar, lots of boxing memorabilia/photos on the wall. I went for the Batemans Yellabelly Gold, which was a good session beer. Prices here are good too. Also serves food.
On 10th November 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Champion
Bateman's pub, just outside the city walls and near the bus station. Choice of 5 real ales, and the XB was on good form. Only niggle is the slightly annoying piped (jazz) music, otherwise a very decent place for a pint.
On 24th September 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
shaun taylor left this review about The Champion
a proper local pub, great real ales!
On 27th October 2007
- rating: 10
[User has posted 23 recommendations about 23 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Champion
When i visited the Champion it was a free house and the pub was covered with different signs outside including one wrapped around the chimney stack.
Once inside this was quite a nice pub with bare boards and comfortable seating,there were four real ales on the bar i had a drink of Robinsons Striker and this was a decent well kept pint, the other beers were Woodfords Wherry,Greene King IPA and Abbot.
I quite liked this pub.
Pub visited 3/6/2006
On 3rd June 2006
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]