The Scooper's pub guide!    

his section to the site is something that scoopers have been after for many years, hence the many "who knows any decent pubs in xxx" posts on Scoopgen!  Well, it's about time we did something about it, comrades, so here we go... if you know any more pubs which you think should be on here, or want to amend some details of an existing entry, either email me with the gen or fill in this form here and send it off to me.  This page will only be as good as the gen we get, so I'm relying on everyone to get it as complete and genned-up as possible; cheers.

Many thanks to everyone who has contributed, especially Dave Hughes, Simon Fyffe, the Ratebeer crew and everyone else who's contributed... cheers people, you made this what it is!

Basically, this is a list of the best places in the UK for finding "new" beers and breweries.  Obviously a list of the very best would be way too short and we'd have complaints from new faces, so I've included a whole range of places although there is definitely a high entry level in terms of beer range!  There are pubs, brewpubs, beer shops and breweries, plus the odd garage and other oddities and where there are other places worth a look nearby these have been listed too.  These "worth a look" places may or may not get you a scoop, but they will be either the best places for beer in a crap town or second-division options in better towns.

This is NOT a list of "nice" pubs or those where decent beer is served - there are plenty of those guides around.  This is a pub guide for beer scoopers who want to find new and/or interesting cask ales on sale and, therefore, only includes pubs where this is likely to occur which sadly means a lot of superb pubs are missed out. 

Disclaimer :

This page - nay, this whole site - is maintained by Gazza under his public service obligation to the scooping community (and anyone else who gives a toss).  Therefore, if your pub is not featured here - or anywhere else you think should be - then let me know, but I have the final say on what gets posted here... I pay the bloody bill, after all.

Bedfordshire

Bedford.

Wellington (Banks & Taylor), 40 Wellington Street.
Opening hours: Monday - Saturday 12:00 - 23:00, Sunday 12:00 - 22:30.
Cask ales: 12 Handpumps
Food: Decent filled rolls most lunchtimes.
Guest policy: Micro beers from small brewers nationwide.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Almost in the centre of town.
Public Transport:  Bus station is 5 mins walk away, the main rail station 10 minutes.
Gen: Real cider and perry, changing selection of Belgian bottles. Huge collection of historic bottles, pumpclips, breweriana and general boozy bric-a-brac. Small, shabby, atmospheric, carpet-less, redbrick, Victorian backstreet pub. Clientele mostly over 45. Beer festivals twice a year. Landlord's name is Mr Beer (honestly)!
Nearest scooping pubs: Engineers, Henlow.
Last Updated: 14/11/2008 Hughie / Gazza

Henlow.

Engineers Arms (Free), 68 High Street, Henlow SG16 6AA. 01462 812284
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-01:00, Sun ?
Cask ales: Varies
Food: Snacks
Guest policy: Regular beer festivals, up to 20 guest beers served each week
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Easy to get to from Biggleswade via bus 82 or it's a mile walk from Arlesey station.
Public Transport: Bus 82 or E7 from Biggleswade, Bus M1 from Bedford. Arlesey BR (20 mins)
Gen: Pub in a linear village south of Biggleswade which does some decent beers.
Nearest scooping pubs: Strathmore Arms St Pauls Warden 11 Miles
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Cambridgeshire

Cambridge.  Map

Famous University city with a growing number of good pubs with decent beer and one of the best offies in the UK for BCA's and Foreign beer.

Bacchanalia off-license (Free), 90 Mill Road.
Cask ales: Three on gravity, loads in bottle.
Food: None, it’s a shop!
Guest policy: Has a very adventurous policy towards the bottled beers with a huge range from all over the world.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: In a cluster of decent pubs along a road with plenty of food options.
Public Transport: Cambridge Drummer St Bus Station (10 mins)
Gen: Excellent offie (used to be the Jug & Firkin) with wine at the front and beer - cask and bottled - at the rear. Huge bottled range with some real rarities in there; 3 Fonteinen Hommage, for example!
Nearest scooping pubs: Live & Let Live (5 mins), Kingston Arms (5 mins), Cambridge Blue (10 mins)
Last Updated: 24/10/2008 Gazza

Cambridge Blue (Free).  85-87 Gwydir Street, CB1 2LG, 01223 361382.
Opening hours: From 12:00 every day (?)
Cask ales: Approx 10, all guests except 1 house beer, max number of beers on at all times.
House beer(s): Nethergate do a special, unknown if rebadge or not.
Food: Decent pub food at reasonable prices (for Cambridge!), available lunchtimes and every evening 18:00-21:00
Guest policy: Getting more adventurous although little very new/rare
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually one available
Get there: 10 mins walk N of Cambridge BR: 1st R Tenison Rd, 3rd R St Barnabas Rd, follow N to Gwydir St.
Public Transport: Nearest bus stop on Mill Rd (Gwydir St)
Gen: Old-time pub which has been on the circuit for many years, now much improved under new landlord.
Nearest scooping pubs: Kingston Arms (5 mins), Live & let Live (5 mins) and Bacchanalia offy (5 mins).
Last Updated: 27/09/2008 Gazza

Elm Tree (Banks & Taylor).  Orchard Street. 
Cask ales: A dozen handpumps on the bar.  House beer(s): Obviously, B&T beers are on sale!
Food: No food available, although small snacks may appear soon.
Guest policy: Decent guest beers on sale, although the foreign bottled beer list is a stunner.
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually have B&T Edwin Taylor's stout.
Get there: In a maze of lanes close to the bus station, you need a map to find it and even then a bit of luck!
Public Transport: Cambridge Drummer Street bus station (10 mins)
Gen: Recently (Summer 08) taken over by B&T, this small pub has great potential to become a scooping hotspot in an area of the city not blessed with much beer choice.
Nearest scooping pubs: Tram Shed (10 mins)
Last Updated: 24/10/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Kingston Arms, 33 Kingston Street.  On the way from L&LL to Cambridge Blue, this pub has 10 cask ales although only 3 are guest beers.  Expensive, but worth a look as you pass.  Free Internet access wifi/terminals.

• Live & Let Live, 40 Mawson Road.  Famous old free house in a quiet area although I've never been that impressed with the beer range - it's okay for a normal but not really a scooper!

• Tram Shed, Dover Street (off East Road).  Old Tram shed, as the name suggests, owned by Everards with some proper guests and Brunswick beers too; worth a look.  Used to be an Earl Soham pub!

Peterborough.

Fairly grim place with a 1960's feel although there are some cracking pubs (and barges) to counteract this.

Charters (Oakham), Town Bridge, Peterborough PE1 1EH.  01733 315700.
Opening hours: 12:00 until "late" ("later" Fri, Sat)
Cask ales: A dozen ales on cask at most times
House beer(s): Oakham JHB, White Dwarf plus seasonals
Food: Oriental Restaurant upstairs (on deck!) plus bar menu 12:00-14:30
Guest policy: Up to eight guest beers available plus a range of boring Foreign beers - did you know Stella is French and Leffe is for connoisseurs? No, me neither…
Mild/dark beer policy: Guest mild available
Get there: On the river just South of the centre, you really can't miss a 176 foot long barge… can you?
Public Transport: Peterborough BR (10 mins), Queensgate bus station (5 mins)
Gen: 1907 Dutch barge moored under town bridge with a pretty decent range of cask ales available. Opened in 1991. Sells around 500 guests a year.
Nearest scooping pubs: Brewery Tap (10 mins)
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Brewery Tap, 80 Westgate.  Oakham's brewpub (recently re-started brewing on a small plant) that is under threat of demolition to make way for yet another capitalist hell-hole... sign the petition!!!

• Coalheavers Arms, 5 Park Street.  Small backstreet "proper" pub with eight beers, four guests and four from Milton.

• Palmerston Arms, 82 Oundle Road.  Owned by Batemans but still serves some decent beer, up to nine guest ales plus some Batemans.  All beer from cask, no handpumps.

Cheshire

Aston.

Village out in the Cheshire countryside with not a lot else going for it apart from this amazing pub.

Bhurtpore Arms (Free), Wrenbury Road, Aston, Cheshire.
Opening hours: M-F 12:00-14:30, 18:30-23:30, Sat open until 15:00, Sun 11:00-23:00
Cask ales: Around 11 real ales and well over 100 Foreign bottled beers.  House beer(s): Hanby Drawwell
Food: Excellent food prepared fresh on the premises
Guest policy: Guests can come from anywhere although are mainly North-Western micros.
Mild/dark beer policy: Should be a dark beer on sale
Get there: Out in the sticks of the Southern Cheshire countryside. The easiest way is by car, although there's a tiny station nearby (on the Crewe-Shrewsbury line) accessible via country lanes!
Public Transport: Wrenbury BR (10 mins) although you need a map!
Gen: Run for years with some aplomb by Simon George, this all-round great pub has a large beer festival every year with a good range of scoops. Has served almost 6,000 different beers to date.
Nearest scooping pubs: None!
Last Updated: 30/10/2008 Gazza

Chester.  Map  Report

Old walled Roman city which has a decent smattering of pubs including 2 Sam Smiths, 1 Lees and the ones listed here.  Many other pubs do a guest beer so there's usually something around to drink.

Brewery Tap (Spitting Feathers), Gamul House, 54 Lower Bridge Street, 01244 340999. 
Opening hours: From 12:00 daily
Cask ales: 7 or 8 real ales, usually 3 from Spitting Feathers and the rest from guest breweries.
Food: Not tried but it sounded very nice indeed.
Guest policy: Average so far, although they do get some of the less common local breweries in.
Mild/dark beer policy: Winter is the best time!
Get there: Find the Cross in the centre of Chester and take Bridge Street downhill, past Sam Smith's Falcon, and you'll see the pub on your right after 200 metres or so opposite a cute sandstone chapel.  The entrance is upstairs!
Public Transport: BR Chester (15 mins)
Gen: Converted Jacobean hall with some amazing architectural features including massive wooden beams, stone walls, oval windows, a very high barrelled ceiling and exposed areas of the walls.  Hung with tapestries, they've certainly created the right mood for the building!  Apparently, King Charles I spent the night here after the battle of Rowton Moor nearby.
Nearest scooping pubs: Bear & Billet (2 mins)
Last Updated: 06/03/2009 Gazza

Mill Hotel (Free).  Milton Street, 01244 350035.  Opening hours: All permitted. 
Cask ales: Up to 16 beers on handpump.  House beer(s): Coach House's 4.2% "house beer", named for the hotel, Weetwood Best.
Food: The hotel supplies bar meals.
Guest policy: Reasonably adventurous with plenty of micro brews, mainly but not exclusively from the Northwest. 10 guest beers.
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually a mild or stout on.
Get there: The pub is in fact the bar of a hotel alongside the canal and has been Chester's best beer range for a good many years now.
Public Transport: BR Chester (10 mins)
Gen: Busy and noisy hotel bar with everything that means (think lonely businessfolk trying to pull!) but a wide beer range means you'll not be bored watching them. The Union Vaults at 44 Egerton Street a couple of roads towards town is worth a look, too.
Nearest scooping pubs: Harker's Arms (5 mins)
Last Updated: 22/10/2008 Gazza

Old Harker's Arms (Brunning & Price).  1 Russell Street, next to the Shroppie Union canal. 
Opening hours: M-S 11:30-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Ownership: Brunning & Price, who have recently been taken over by "The Restaurant group".
Cask ales: Around six guest beers plus some standards, 12 pumps in all.
Food: It's quite posh so the food follows suit
Guest policy: Was variable with some days much better than others, but with B&P's takeover I don't know now.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Close to the station, alongside the canal, on the way into the city centre and located in an old warehouse.
Public Transport: BR Chester (5 mins)
Gen: This nicely converted old warehouse is unashamedly aimed at the posher end of the drinking market but still manages to keep half a dozen cask ales on although how rare they are depends on your luck!
Nearest scooping pubs: Mill Hotel (5 mins)
Last Updated: 23/11/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Bear and Billet - 94 Lower Bridge Street.  Ancient (1600's) half-timbered pub by the city walls which has been ruined inside yet is still worth a look beer-wise for the six cask ales on sale; you may be lucky and find a WC beer on, but probably not. 

• Telford's Warehouse - Tower Wharf.  Converted canalside warehouse (yes, another one!) which is a "yoof" venue in the evenings but serves up five cask beers of which you may find some unusual (generally local) ones. A strange place but I really like it!

Cornwall

Foxfield.

Boringdon Arms (Free), Boringdon Hill, Turnchapel, PL9 9TQ.  01752 402053.
Opening hours: Unknown
Cask ales: Eight real ales including local and further-away guests.
Food: Meals available
Guest policy: Usually a South Hams beer alongside other Devon brews and more adventurous stuff.
Mild/dark beer policy: Maybe!
Get there: Either take the No.2 bus (First) to Cunliffe Avenue (Turnchapel) and walk down the steep St Johns Road, or the water taxi from Barbican then follow the road until you reach the same hill.
Public Transport: First bus 2 from Royal Parade to Turnchapel.
Gen: Old pub in the middle of a terrace overlooking the Cattewater.  Apparently not as good as when it was in it's heyday a few years back, but still good and has several festivals each year - see website for the next ones. Also offers accommodation.
Nearest scooping pubs: Clovelly Inn (1 min)
Last Updated: 06/03/2009 Gazza

• Clovelly Bay Inn, Boringdon Road.  Opposite the end of the Bori's terrace, this cosy old pub offers four cask ales and some decent-looking food.

• Gog & Magog, 57–59 Southside Street.  Unusual McSpoons up an alley with a chance of something non-GK on the pumps.

Consett.

Grim place in an old steel and mining area which Thatcher destroyed.

Essex

Chelmsford

Worth a Look :

•   Barista.   Wine bar-like bar with 3 beers on tap served from a fount hanging from the ceiling at the end of the bar!

Maldon.

Worth a Look :

• Swan, School Road, Little Totham.  Twice CAMRA pub of the year with a large range of beers including some from the local Mighty Oak.

Gloucestershire

Bristol.  Map

The city has had it's fair share of breweries including the now defunct Smiles and Ross along with the sadly missed Hardingtons of the mid-90's, but it still has some decent beers around to sample although free houses are thin on the ground.  A quick aside here; Bristol used to be in Avon but now it's in the "Unitary authority of South Gloucestershire", whatever that is... so I'm assuming it's now back in Gloucestershire!

Bag o' Nails (Free), 141 St Georges Road, Hotwells, Bristol BS1 5UW. 0117 940 6776  *** CURRENTLY CLOSED ***
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 17:30-23:00, Thu 12:00-14:30 & 17:30-23:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Generally six handpumped ales, up to ten.
House beer(s):
Food: Don't think so
Guest policy: Seems to be picking up again scoop-wise after a few years of fallowness.
Mild/dark beer policy: Sometimes!
Get there: Just at the roundabout where Jacob's Wells Road meets the A4.
Public Transport: Bristol Temple Meads (20 mins), Capricorn Quay riverboat stop (3 mins), bus 354/364 from Gasferry Road, Canon's Marsh stop to Bus station every few minutes or bus 500 from the BR station/bus station.
Gen: Nice old pub with wooden floors containing portholes enabling you to see into the cellar (well, you could if they weren't scuffed to fuck). Beer range varies but can be good, especially weekends. Beer fests April and November.
Nearest scooping pubs: No real scooping pubs, but Zero Degrees isn't that far off.
Last Updated: 22/11/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Cornubia, 142 Temple Street, Redcliffe.  Famous old free house, bought by Smiles and ruined by them before they went bust.  Now owned by Hidden and sells their beers plus guests.  Handy-ish for Temple Meads shack.

• Corks Of Cotham, 54 Cotham Hill.  Wine shop with a decent beer range from the UK, Belgium and the USA.

• Grain Barge, Hotwells Road (by Mardyke ferry landing).  Yes, it's another barge selling beer!  This one is owned by Bristol Beer Factory and, presumably, sells their beer.

• Hillgrove Porter Stores, 53 Hillgrove Street North, Kingsdown.  Local pub of the year 07 with seven or eight beers including Matthews, Goffs and Hidden plus others.

• Seven Stars, Thomas Lane, Redcliffe.  Worth a look as it has a decent range of guest ales although nothing too exciting.

• Zero Degrees, 53 Colston Street.  You know the script by now, surely?

Nailsworth.

Village Inn (Free), The Cross, Bath Road.  01453 835715. 
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 11:00-23:00, Thu-Sat 11:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Eight beers on handpull including Nailsworth brews made on the premises
Food: Unknown
Guest policy: Worth a look if you're passing
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: On the main A46 through Nailsworth.
Public Transport: Stagecoach 504, 93 & 46 go between Stroud and Nailsworth
Gen:
Nearest scooping pubs: Bristol
Last Updated: 13/07/2010 Gazza

Greater Manchester

Ex-Milltown 11 miles north of Manc with Bank Top brewery there.

Worth a Look :

• Howcoft, 36 Pool Street.  Bank Top's unofficial tap with 4 cask ales on sale and an annual beer festival.  A long walk from the shack.

• Spinning Mule, Unit 2, Nelson Square.  Wetherspoons 5 mins north of the station with an above-average guest beer choice.

Hyde.  Report  Map

Worth a Look :

• Cheshire Ring, 72 Manchester Road.  Sounds rude but it's named after the canal!  Nominally a Beartown pub although has a good range of guest ales and does decent food too.  Right next to the rail station (Hyde Central) and 201 bus stop.

• Sportsman, 57 Mottram Road.  Multi-roomed old pub on the way out of town which is now a Pennine Ales house and also offers guest beers.  Well worth a look, a classic local.

Manchester city centre.  Map

Consistently a great beer dinking city and, off and on, a great scooping city.  The years of plenty may have waned slightly but it's still a cracking place for a pub crawl with, apart from these excellent places, many others which have a decent beer range; cheap, locally-brewed beer is a pastime in Manc!  The Metrolink tram and free "metroshuttle" central buses are very useful.  If you need to stay over, there are plenty of cheap chain hotels about including a huge Premier Inn in Salford and a Travelodge almost opposite the Crown & Kettle.

Angel (ex Beer House)  (Free), 6 Angel Street, M4 4BQ. 0161 833 4786. 
Opening hours: 12:00-23:00 daily, Sun 11:00-20:00
Cask ales: Eight beers and 2 ciders on pump.
Food: No gen under the new management
Guest policy: Getting better all the time.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: In the so-called "Northern Quarter"; from Victoria station, head past the big Co-op tower to the crossroads, turn left then first left.
Public Transport: Nearest station Victoria (10 mins), nearest tram stop Shude Hill, bus station there also (5 mins)
Gen: Was owned by famous local chef Robert Owen-Brown after almost being demolished but it unexpectedly closed in September 09.  It re-opened under new management a week later, and is now returning to something of it's former glory with ever-increasing interest on the pumps and a sociable atmosphere. 
Nearest scooping pubs: Smithfield, Bar Fringe, Marble Arch, Crown & Kettle all within 5 minutes
Last Updated: 15/08/2010 Gazza

Bar Fringe (Free).  8 Swan Street, M4 5JN. 0161 835 3815.
Opening hours: From 12:00 daily
Cask ales: Five, House beer(s): None
Food: Used to do toasties etc but not sure they still do?
Guest policy: Five changing beers from the Boggart list or local micros.
Mild/dark beer policy: Not usually on sale.
Get there: 2 Mins from Smithfield hotel in the Northern Quarter
Public Transport: Shude Hill tramstop is only 5 mins walk away
Gen: Unusual Belgian-ish bar with some good cask ales a changing but generally good range of Belgian (and other countries) beers in bottle.
Nearest scooping pubs: Smithfield, Crown and Kettle are a minute away. Marble Arch 5 mins.
Last Updated: 01/10/2008 Gazza

Marble Arch (Free).  73 Rochdale Road, M4 4HY. 0161 832 5914.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30-23:00, Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 19:00-22:30
Cask ales: Around 10, House beer(s): Marble beers, brewed out back.
Food: Very impressive slightly posh pub food.
Guest policy: Usually half Marble beers and half guests, an increasingly interesting range.
Mild/dark beer policy: Should be one on from the on-site brewery.
Get there: Five minutes along Rochdale Rd from the Angel.
Public Transport: Buses stop 25 metres before pub at Rochdale Road/Suddell Street, 17,64,81 and many more.
Gen: Established scooping pub with it's own brewery. Good range of guests, excellent own beers, top food, amazing building… it's got it all.
Nearest scooping pubs: Angel, Smithfield, Bar Fringe all 5 minutes walk.
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza

Port Street Beer House (Free).  39-41 Port St Manchester M1 2EQ‎.
Opening hours: Tue - Fri 16:00-00:00, Sat 12:00-0100, Sun 12:00-00:00, closed Mondays.
Cask ales: Six, mainly local micros.
Food:
Guest policy: Interesting local guest beers plus over a dozen Foreign beers on tap and many more in bottle.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: A short walk along Back Piccadilly from the rear exit of Piccadilly station (exit platforms, turn right, through door at end then follow ramp down, turn right then immediately left and follow until you reach xxx)
Public Transport: Metrolink and BR Piccadilly 5 mins away, Piccadilly Gardens Metrolink about the same.
Gen: Opened January 2011 with an impressive range of Foreign beer... this is the kind of thing Manchester has been missing and, hopefully, it will encourage others to up their game.
Nearest scooping pubs: Smithfield, Angel, Bar Fringe, Micro Bar all reasonably close.
Last Updated: 02/01/2011 Gazza

Smithfield Hotel (Free).  37 Swan Street, M4 5JZ. 0161 839 4424‎.
Opening hours: From 12:00 until ?
Cask ales: Eight, House beer(s): Robinsons Dark Mild and a house bitter (which changes brewer occasionally)
Food: Cheap pub snacks available
Guest policy: Around six interesting guest beers available, maybe some from cellar too.
Mild/dark beer policy: House mild, Robinson's dark.
Get there: Right in the middle of the N4 crawl.
Public Transport: Metrolink Shude Hill station is 5 mins away
Gen: Cheap hotel with a good range of cask ales although quality isn't always brilliant.
Nearest scooping pubs: Marble Arch, Bar Fringe, Crown & Kettle, Angel all very close.
Last Updated: 23/07/2010 Gazza

Worth a Look :

•  The City, 133 Oldham Street.  Proper pub with a "mixed" clientele!  Serves three cask ales, worth a look if passing, and it's cheap prices mean stronger beers are especially good value.

• Crown & Kettle, 2 Oldham Road.  Boarded up for 20 years, this gorgeous old pub reopened in 2005 and serves a decent range of cask ales although not many scoops, but it's close to other good pubs so well worth a look.

•  Lass o' Gowrie, 36 Charles Street.  Ex-Whitbread brewpub now more of a old-style ale house with a surprisingly decent range of beer.  Opposite the BBC close to Oxford Road station.

• Micro Bar, Arndale Centre food court, opposite the English lounge on High Street.  Boggart-owned bar in the Arndale now doubled in size and selling bottled beers as well as cask.  Opens M-S 11:00-19:00, Sun 12:00-17:00

Salford.  Map

In reality a separate city but you'll be hard pressed to spot the join with Manchester.  The further out you go the more of an urban wasteland it becomes with (I think) 5 closed pubs in-between the New Oxford and the Crescent and only one open one... Pretty it ain't, but it's three good pubs are worth a visit.  Be careful around the area at night - seriously!

Black Lion (Enterprise), 65 Chapel Street, Salford.  ** Currently Boarded Up again - reports please!!! **
Opening hours: Assumed 12:00 onwards daily.
Cask ales: Said to be installing a dozen handpulls, choice of 200 beers per month from the Enterprise list.
House beer(s): Unknown as yet.
Food: unknown.
Guest policy: Assuming it's the same as the New Oxford, Tim's other pub, very adventurous!
Mild/dark beer policy: Unknown
Get there: Very close to the city centre; From Deansgate walk into Salford along Blackfriars road and it's on the corner of Chapel Street.
Public Transport: Plenty of buses pass along Chapel Street and it's a 5 minute walk from Victoria tram and train station.
Gen: Due to re-open under ownership of Tim from the New Oxford, this should be a great addition to the Manchester scene.  Aims to have around 200 Belgian beers on sale.
Nearest scooping pubs: King's Arms (5 mins), New Oxford (8 mins)
Last Updated: 12/07/2010 Gazza.

Crescent (Free).  15 The Crescent.  Opening hours: From 12:00 daily.
Cask ales: 12 handpumps, up to 12 beers on bar and sometimes beers from cellar too
House beer(s): Mallinson's Crescent Hop brewed for the pub.
Food: Basic but decent meals; curry, chilli etc
Guest policy: Getting better all the time albeit not up to the stratospheric heights when Sal and Idy were there!
Mild/dark beer policy: A mild usually available
Get there: Situated alongside the busy A6, 2 miles West of Manchester, on a major bus corridor.
Public Transport: Many buses pass outside (stop very close) or BR to Salford Crescent then turn left past university (5 mins)
Gen: Long-time famous scooping pub, improving again after a period when closure was a real possibility - like the Beer House, might have been saved by the "credit crunch"!  Multi-roomed, multi-level, ramshackle / lived-in pub, full of character.
Nearest scooping pubs: New Oxford (10 mins), King's Arms (12 mins)
Last Updated: 26/11/2009 Gazza

New Oxford (Free).  11 Bexley Square. 0161 832 7082.  Opening hours: From 12:00.
Cask ales: 16 or so handpumps, range varies from 6 to 16 at festivals.
House beer(s): Bazens Flatbac plus various brewers do specials for the pub, currently it's Mallinsons.
Food: Good bar snacks and larger meals available.
Guest policy: Interesting beers, new breweries. Also good Foreign beer range.
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually 1 on.
Get there: Just off the main A6 heading out of Manchester just after Salford Central station. Set back from road on a pedestrianised square by the law courts.
Public Transport: BR to Salford Central (5 mins), Free centreline (purple) bus to Chapel St (3 mins), many other buses pass the pub.
Gen: Excellent scooping pub, formerly a Vaux house, which has inspired the Manchester beer scene with it's enthusiasm and good beer choice. One of the shining stars of the area.
Nearest scooping pubs: Crescent (10 mins), King's Arms (3 mins)
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• King's Arms, 11 Bloom Street.  Lovely old Victorian pile with a maze of rooms. Serves a decent range of (usually) local beers with few scoops but it's generally worth a look on your way to the New Oxford.

Stalybridge.

Milltown out on the eastern edge of Manchester in what was once Cheshire, Stalybridge sits in the Pennine foothills and is conveniently close to Manchester, Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Leeds to make a day in any (or all) of them a possibility! 

Stalybridge Station Buffet (Free), Platform 1 (Huddersfield-bound), Stalybridge Station, Rassbottom Street. 0161 303 0007.
Opening hours: 11:00 - 23:00 every day
Cask ales: Up to eight cask beers.  House beer(s): Hydes "Boddingtons" bitter, "Flowers IPA"
Food: Cheap and well-made snacks available
Guest policy: Tends to favour beers from local breweries although some from further afield.
Mild/dark beer policy: Generally at least one on
Get there: This really is part of the station at Stalybridge! It's on the Leeds-bound platform which can be accessed without a ticket by walking up the cobbled slope alongside the buildings.
Public Transport: Stalybridge BR (0 mins!)
Gen: Long-time scooping pub run by Sylvia and John Hesketh for many years. Has served 6717 Guest Beers Since 1997!
Nearest scooping pubs: Manchester, Dewsbury buffet bar (on station, Manc bound platform), Huddersfield, Leeds
Last Updated: 23/07/2010 Gazza

Stockport.  Map

Stockport used to be in Cheshire until re-organisations of the boundaries.  It's a large town with a beautiful brick viaduct that towers over everything, including the best pub in town, and the whole thing is a mere ten minutes on the train from Manchester.

Crown (Free), 154 Heaton Lane, 0161 429 0549.  
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 11:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 11:00 - Late, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Up to 12 in the week, up to 16 weekends.  House beer(s): At least 1 Pictish and 1 Copper Dragon.
Food: Unknown
Guest policy: Quite adventurous, seems to major on NW brewers but has so many pumps there's always something else interesting available and you'll be unlucky not to scoop anything - plus there will probably be some Pictish on!
Mild/dark beer policy: Should be at least one available
Get there: A short walk from the centre, right under the famous viaduct.
Public Transport: BR Stockport (10 mins), Bus station 5 mins.
Gen: Classically situated under Stockport's massive viaduct, this cracking pub is currently in one of it's better periods and sells a good range with the possibility of a few winners.  Forthcoming pumpclips are above the bar. The "Cellar Rat" beers are brewed at 3 Rivers by the landlady.
Nearest scooping pubs: Woolpack (10 mins), Olde Vic (10 mins)
Last Updated: 04/01/2009 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Magnet, 51 Wellington Road North.  Opened November 09 as a "multi-beer free house" run by some of the team from the Crown; over a dozen beers on sale!  Open Mon-Wed 16:00-22:00, Thu-Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30.

• Railway, 1 Avenue Street.  Ex-Porters pub, now Rossendale, which also sells guest beers.  Well worth a look, has 16 pumps now!!!

• Woolpack, Brinksway.  This pub has done guest beers for years.  It serves three guests and they can turn up fairly unusual beers.  Open 12:00 onwards.      *** Apparently re-opened ***

• Ye Olde Vic, 1 Chatham Street, Edgeley.  Looking as if it's closed and boarded, this strange place serves 5 cask ales of the more interesting variety, although beware the "no swearing" policy…  Only open from 17:00 M-F and 19:00 Sat. 

Hampshire

Southampton.  Report

Be aware that both the decent pubs in my report have, I think, changed for the worse since my visit!

Worth a Look :

• Bitter Virtue, 70 Cambridge Road.  Beer shop with cask ale, loads of bottled beers and more.

• Guide Dog, 38 Earls Road.  Good range of mainly local pale, hoppy beers.

Herefordshire

Hereford.

It's never been a scooping hotspot, but it was home to two pioneers of the brewpub revolution in the form of Wye Valley at the Barrels and Paul Soden's Jolly Roger at the Victory (or Jolly Roger as it was then)...

Barrels (Wye Valley), 69 St. Owen Street, HR1 2JQ. 01432 274968
Opening hours: Unknown
Cask ales: Around six to eight beers at any time
House beer(s): Wye Valley
Food: Pub meals
Guest policy: Generally some micro guest ales on sale
Mild/dark beer policy: Not specifically.
Get there: Situated in the centre of town. Leave the station, turn right and follow Commercial Road into the centre. Cross the busy Blueschool street (if you can) then continue as the road bears left and becomes Union street. It soon becomes St Owens street and the pub is five minutes on your left.
Public Transport: Hereford BR (10 mins)
Gen: Ex-brewpub where Wye Valley began all those years ago out in the sheds at the back. Quite a large place with some decent beers on cask and always WV's seasonals available.
Nearest scooping pubs: Victory
Last Updated: 22/11/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Victory, 88 St Owen Street.  Just up from the Barrels, the old Jolly Roger is now brewing again as Hereford Brewery (ex-Spinning Dog) and, whilst the beers may not be everyone's cup of wort, it's worth a look.

Hertfordshire

Sawbridgeworth.

Worth a Look :

• Gate, 81 London Road, CM21 9JJ.  Brewpub on the main road through the village with it's brewery in an old stable.  Plenty of beers on sale and annual beer festivals.

St. Paul's Walden.

Strathmore Arms (Free), Whitwell Road, St Paul's Walden SG4 8BT. 01438 871654
Opening hours: 12:00-14:30 (not Mon), 17:00(18:00 Mon)-23:00; 12:00-23:00 Fri-Sat; 12:00-22:30 Sun
Cask ales: 3 ever-changing Guests.  House beer(s): Fullers London Pride, Woodfordes Wherry
Food: Basic pub grub, varied menu
Guest policy: Regular ticking festivals
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: In a small village out in the sticks, best bet is the bus.
Public Transport: Bus 304 from Hitchin or St Albans stops outside
Gen: Worth the visit and just 4 miles from Luton Airport
Nearest scooping pubs: St Albans
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Half Moon, 57 Queen St, Hitchin.  Enterprise Inns house with three guests and regular beer festivals.

St Albans.  Map  Report

Historic city with a surprisingly small cathedral, St Albans is a major commuter hub and is therefore infested with pompous twats called Tarquin Farquarson-Smythe or similar.  Some great pubs will, hopefully, drown out the braying voices and if not there are 2 rail stations to enable a quick getaway.

Mermaid (Free House).  98 Hatfield Road, AL1 3RL, 01727 837758.
Opening hours: From 12:00 daily I think.
Cask ales: Six to eight, House beer(s): Everards.
Food: Unknown
Guest policy: Alehouse one-offs plus guests from micro brewers.
Get there: Not too far from City station, although it's off the main drag and not obvious.
Public Transport: BR St Albans City (10 mins), BR St Albans Abbey (15 mins)
Gen: Kev of Alehouse and Lower Red fame is now in charge here and the scooping heart of St Albans has moved with him.  Always worth a look to see what's on the pumps.
Nearest scooping pubs: Boot (10 mins)
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza

Lower Red Lion (Free House, due to change hands in late 2008).  36 Fishpool Street.
Opening hours: M-F 12:00-14:30 and 17:30-23:00, Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Six to eight, House beer(s): Oakham JHB plus Alehouse beers.
Food: Served lunchtimes only.
Guest policy: Plenty of Alehouse one-offs plus a good range of guests from micro brewers.
Get there: In the conservation area of St Albans close to the cathedral, easily walkable from the centre but it's a steep hill going back!
Public Transport: BR St Albans City (15 mins), BR St Albans Abbey (10 mins)
Gen: Ancient pub with lots of character which has been the city's best bet for a scoop for years now, although it is due to change hands at the end of 2008 with no guarantees as to the future.
Nearest scooping pubs: Boot (5 mins), Farmer's Boy (10 mins)
Last Updated: 22/10/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Boot, 4 Market Place.  Old pub with 2 or 3 guests on sale, usually nothing too exciting (although rarities sometimes) but worth a look on way to Lower Red.

• Farmer’s Boy, 134 London Road.  Brewpub which sells two house beers and two guests.

• White Lion, 91 Sopwell Lane.  Yet another old pub in a quiet and presumably expensive area, this is run by David (ex-LRL) who serves up some delicious food and six guest beers although little of real rarity.
   

Kent

Dartford.

Worth a Look :

• Bull, Lombard Street, Horton Kirby.  A decent range of real ales with lots of Dark Star.

• Dartford Working Men's Club, Essex Road.  Good range of beers including some rare stuff.

Gravesend.

Worth a Look :

• Rum Puncheon, 87 West Street.  Six real ales including some decent guests.

Hythe.

Worth a Look :

• Three Mariners, 37 Windmill Street.  Decent guest beers, albeit "decent" in Kent isn't what it means in the rest of the country...

Rochester.

Worth a Look :

• Man of Kent, 6-8 John Street.  Not really a scooping pub but it does have a decent range of mainly Kentish beers on sale and is a down-to-earth traditional boozer.  Worth a look in lieu of anything else.

Lancashire

Bury.

At the northern end of the Metrolink line lies Bury, full of pubs of varying degrees of quality.

Trackside (Free), Bolton Street Station, East Lancashire Railway, Bolton Street, BL9 0EY. 0161 764 6461.
Opening hours: Evenings and daytime when the railway is running
Cask ales: Usually eight cask ales.
House beer(s):
Food: Bar food available
Guest policy: Interesting range of micro-brewery beers
Get there: In the centre of Bury although not that easy to find the first time; get to the ELR station and the pub is down the little lane to the left of the station building.
Public Transport: Bury Metrolink and Bus station (5 mins)
Gen: On the platform of the East Lancashire railway, one of the few with an enlightened policy to engines (plenty of loud diesels, not many kettles!), this ex-waiting room which has been transformed into a superb pub with a great beer range. Watch the diesel locos pass by outside whilst scooping!
Nearest scooping pubs: Manchester
Last Updated: 21/01/2009 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Rose & Crown, 36 Manchester Old Road.  Ex-Tap & Spile which still has a good range of ales, around eight, usually including some Phoenix from just up the road.

Darwen.

A post-industrial horror story writ in brick, with one redeeming feature... this pub.

Black Horse (Free), 72 Redearth Road.  01254 873040.
Cask ales: Reduced range now, but you'll still see a few beers on.  House beer(s): Fallons beers should be available
Food: Yes, decent curries
Guest policy: Rare guest ales from all over the place, the best guest beers for miles although that's not saying much!!
Mild/dark beer policy: Should be one dark beer available
Get there: Darwen isn't really cask ale territory - actually, I don’t know what territory it is but it's not particularly welcoming. The pub is a short walk from the station through what was an education in urban dereliction although these (perfectly good) houses have probably been demolished by now. I'd get a map before you go.
Public Transport: Darwen BR (10 mins)
Gen: Standalone cask pub in a grim run-down town with nothing else beery for miles, the veritable oasis in a desert! Andy does a sterling job of sourcing rare beers plus finds time to run his own brewery too (Fallons).  Sadly, the mini-festivals are a thing of the past.
Nearest scooping pubs: Manchester!
Last Updated: 31/10/2008 Gazza

Lytham.

Posh suburb of Blackpool (where my Auntie used to live) with one oasis.

The Taps (Free), Henry St Lytham St. Annes, FY8 5LE.  01253 736226
Opening hours:
Cask ales: Large range of real ales, 8 pumps.  House beer(s): Titanic house beers, unique to the pub apparently.
Food: Home-made chillies, toasties, hot roast butties etc.
Guest policy: Interesting guests and excellent festivals
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Just south of Lytham station, off Market Square.
Public Transport: Lytham BR (15 mins) or bus 2 / 68  to the County, Lytham.
Gen: Well worth a visit to this out-of-the-way pub, not often on scooper's radars.
Nearest scooping pubs: Preston
Last Updated: 05/12/2008 Gazza

Preston.  Map  Report

Busy town with a lot of pubs where you might get a scoop and might not, although there are is one stand-out place.  Thanks to Paul Whiteside for the updates...

Bitter Suite (Free), 53 Fylde Road, PR1 2XQ.  01772 827007.
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-15:00, 18:00-23:00, Fri 12:00-15:00, 18:00-02:00, Sat 12:00-00:00, Sun 19:00-23:00
Cask ales: Large range of real ales with plenty of scoops, 6 pumps.  House beer(s): Rebadged Goose Eye house beer.
Food: Pie'n'peas Mon-Thu 12:00-15:00, Fri fish & chips 12:00-14:00
Guest policy: Lots of Pictish and other good Northwest beers, decent amount of scoops
Mild/dark beer policy: Always one on (and often strong) and it usually lasts a couple of days.
Get there: Close to the university and a good walk from the station, this pub is nevertheless Preston's "must visit" for cask ales and scoops.
Public Transport: Preston BR (15 mins)
Gen: Converted club which still feels like one but it's the draw of the excellent beer range that interests us! Has all the Pictish specials which can never be a bad thing.
Nearest scooping pubs: New Britannia (10 mins)
Last Updated: 03/04/2009 Gazza/Paul Whiteside

Worth a Look :

• Dog & Partridge, 44 Friargate.  Punch taverns owned but the lease still allows beers to be sourced from BMG.  Generally 2 guest beers which can be interesting.

• Market Tavern, 33 Market Street.  Three constantly changing pumps and, just like the Dog, there can be nothing interesting on or plenty depending on luck!

• New Continental, South Meadow Lane.  Sadly in the opposite direction from the station from the Bitter Suite, this pub has re-opened with five cask ales generally of the pale, hoppy variety.

• New Britannia, 6 Heatley Street.  A shadow of it's former glory as the town's best scooping pub, but if still worth a look.

Leicestershire

Leicester.

A melting pot of multiculturalism, which means you're guaranteed some proper curry.

Criterion (Free), 44 Millstone Lane.  0116 262 5418
Opening hours:
Cask ales: At least eight real ales plus a load of interesting Foreign bottles.  House beer(s): Usually an Oakham beer
Food: Home-made pizzas are a speciality.
Guest policy: Fairly interesting guest beers in both the UK and Foreign lines.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: In a backlane not far from the centre and the other decent pubs, it's not the easiest place to find!
Public Transport: Leicester BR (15 mins)
Gen: All-round good pub with top food, cask ales and Foreign beers; well worth a session.
Nearest scooping pubs: Swan & Rushes (5 mins), OOTV (5 mins)
Last Updated: 31/10/2008 Gazza

The Pub (ex-Out of the Vaults) (Free), 12b New Walk, next to Revolution.
Opening hours:
Cask ales: 12 Handpumps, 7 guests and 5 permanent
House beer(s): Oakham JHB & Bishop's Farewell, Leatherbritches Doctor Johnson & Hairy Helmet and a Beowulf dark beer
Food:
Guest policy: Good, better at festival time
Mild/dark beer policy: Dedicated pump for a Beowulf dark beer.
Get there: In the centre of Leicester, only a short walk from the station.
Public Transport: Leicester BR (10 mins)
Gen: The original Vaults closed in 2003 but Paul the landlord soon opened the "new" Vaults which is even better than the original and he's now moved again to this new venue, just behind the old site, with even more beer promised.
Nearest scooping pubs: Criterion (10 mins), Swan & Rushes (10 mins)
Last Updated: 23/09/2009 Gazza

Swan & Rushes (Free), 19 Infirmary Square. 0116 233 9167
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 12:00-14:45, 17:00-23:00, Thu 12:00-14:45, 17:00-00:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-23:30
Cask ales: A good range of cask ale plus a superb Foreign bottle list.  House beer(s): Batemans and Oakham are regulars.
Food: Lunchtime bar meals, evening ones too Tue-Fri (maybe)
Guest policy: The UK beers are decent enough but the 100+ Foreign bottle list has some absolute gems.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Situated on the ring road not too far from the other good pubs.
Public Transport: Leicester BR (15 mins)
Gen: Famous pub which is a haven for quality Foreign bottled brews plus the UK beers aren’t bad either.  The lease is currently for sale although let's hope we have the same outcome as the last time it changed hands and someone who appreciates why the place is popular gets it.
Nearest scooping pubs: Criterion (5 mins), Out of the Vaults (5 mins)
Last Updated: 31/12/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Ale Wagon, 27 Rutland Street.  The Hoskins brothers' place with some of their own (Tower) beers plus a smattering of guests.

• Queen Victoria, 28 Southampton Street.  Re-opening as Bells' brewery tap with 4 of their own plus 4 guest ales.  Open all day Fri-Sun and from 17:00 rest of the week.  ** CLOSED **

Lincolnshire

Lincoln.  Map  Report

Green Dragon (Milestone), Magpie Square, Broadgate LN2 5BH, 01522 567155.
Opening hours: Assume all day
Cask ales: 12 beers on handpull around half guests.
House beer(s): Milestone from the parent company.
Food: Think they serve all day.
Guest policy: Plenty of micro-brewed beer from all around the country.
Get there: In the old centre of the "lower town" next to the river.  It's a lovely old black and white building and can't really be missed!
Public Transport: Lincoln BR (5 mins), Lincoln bus station (3 mins)
Gen: Superb old building although the micro brewery out the back has now closed.  Make sure you go into the bar on the lower level for the best choice of beers.
Nearest scooping pubs: 
Last Updated: 23/07/2010 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Golden Eagle, 21 High Street.  Proper old boozer with around six real ales including some local stuff.

• Victoria, Union Road.  Batemans pub with a good range of micro ales, a hangover from it's Castle Rock days.

Stamford.

Made entirely from beige-coloured (they say honey but I say beige) stone, Stamford is a very attractive place and has a decent pub too plus the now (apparently) closed Melbourn's brewery.

Green Man (Free), 29 Scotgate, Stamford PE9 2YQ.  01708 753598
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Six guests plus Deuchars
House beer(s): Caledonian Deuchars IPA
Food:
Guest policy: Could be anything!
Get there: Just to the NW of the centre, easily found on the main A606 heading out towards Oakham.
Public Transport: Stamford BR (8 mins), St Peter's Hill bus station is a few minutes away.
Gen: A lovely town - if somewhat beige - Stamford is also home to the Melbourn's brewery, owned by Sam Smiths, although this no longer brews. The pub has beerfests at Easter and in September plus accommodation is available. 3,000 beers sold in the last 5 years.
Nearest scooping pubs:
Last Updated: 15/11/2008 Dave Hughes / Gazza

London Map  Report

Huge, sprawling city which has far too few decent pubs for something so ludicrously large although things are slowly improving.  Thanks to the local scoopers (Simon Fyffe and John Bratley) for their help with the London section!  I've left out the growing number of brewpubs in London as I suspect you'll be able to work out for yourself where they are and visit!

Borough Market (Southwark) area.

The cluster of pubs around the regenerated Borough Market is still London's best drinking (and scooping) area.

Market Porter (Market Taverns), 9 Stoney Street, Borough Market, Southwark. 0207 407 2495. 
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 06:00-08:30, 11:00-23:00, Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: A dozen handpumps.  House beer(s): Harveys Bitter
Food: Bar food M-F 12:00-15:00, SX, Sun 12:00-17:00. Restaurant upstairs too.
Guest policy: Very adventurous for London! Scoops from far and wide…
Mild/dark beer policy: Not always a dark beer on, no dedicated pumps.
Get there: Just south of London Bridge, south of the river, this cracking pub is in the midst of the thriving Borough Market where, on Fridays and Saturdays, you can buy much delicious food.
Public Transport: London Bridge BR (5 mins), London Bridge Tube (5 mins)
Gen: London's oldest established scooping pub which used to brew from malt extract in the 1980's, it has recently been extended into the old brewery and had a rear bar fitted with more handpumps. London's best beer pub by a considerable margin with an extremely high turnover - beers on the front bar usually only last a few hours and those at the rear 1 or 2 days maximum. Good mixture of old favourites and lots of brand new beers. The odd rare brewery appears now and again too (e.g. Devon Earth and Dartmouth in 2008).
Nearest scooping pubs: Rake (2 mins), Brew Wharf (2 mins)
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Gazza / Simon Fyffe

Rake (Utobeer), 14 Winchester Walk, Borough Market, SE1 9AG. 0207 407 0557
Opening hours: 12:00-23:00 (10:00 Sat) to 11pm. Closed Sunday.
Cask ales: 2, main reason to come is the huge range of Foreign bottles plus 4 changing on tap.
House beer(s): None, but see below (also has Veltins Pils and Maisels Weiss on permanent fonts)
Food: Nuts and tubs of Yorkshire crisps
Guest policy: 2 ever changing
Mild/dark beer policy: Occasional
Get there: Leave Market Porter from front, turn left then first right after the crossroads after passing under bridge.
Public Transport: Short walk from London Bridge station and lots of buses just south of London Bridge
Gen: The 2 beers are ever changing from micros and sometimes new to the scene. Now and again sells O'Hanlons Thomas Hardy on draught (only pub in the UK to do so) but it's very expensive. Best known for huge bottled beer range (expensive but much cheaper at Utobeer Beer stall (same company) in the Market on Fridays and Saturdays only). 4 ever changing draught American and Belgian beers (including rarities such as Cantillon on vat). Vintage slab urinals too.
Nearest scooping pubs: Market Porter and Brew Wharf (2 mins)
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Simon Fyffe

Utobeer (Free), Borough Market, SE1 9AG.
Opening hours: Thurs 12:00-18:00, Fri 11:00-18:00, Sat 09:00-16:00.
Cask ales: None.
Guest policy: Very adventurous range of bottled beers from around the world.
Mild/dark beer policy: Will be some.
Get there: See Market Porter above, the stall is close by inside the market itself.
Public Transport: See above.
Gen: Excellent beer stall in the delightfully shambolic Victorian market with a huge list of beer.  There's a lot of crap but also some absolute gems to be found here and the range changes frequently.  The Rake (above) has a selection of the beers at WAY higher prices!
Nearest scooping pubs: Market Porter (2 mins), Rake (3 mins)
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza.

Worth a Look :

• Brew Wharf, Stoney Street.  Just a minute from the Porter, this brewpub is now brewing again with "Saints and Sinners" in charge and turning out some very good stuff these days.  It'is very expensive (£3.90 a pint although there is CAMRA discount) yet still worth a look for the house beers which are generally very hoppy!.  Also has Meantime beers on tap. 

• Kernel Brewery, 98 Druid Street London SE1 2HQ. Visitor entrance is around the back, just off Millstream Road.  Opens for direct sales Saturdays only.  Only ten minutes from the Borough Market area.

• New Wheatsheaf, 24 Southwark Street.  Former wine bar in the old Hop Exchange although the beer range isn't as good as might be hoped.

• Royal Oak, Tabard Street.  Harveys tied house, 10 mins walk from Borough Market, it has all their seasonals on cask.

Central London.

More choice than ever before, although the Wenlock is still the don't miss.

Old Fountain (Free), 3  Baldwin Street, EC1V 9NU. 020 7253 2970
Opening hours: 11:00-23:00 Mon-Fri only, CLOSED weekends.
Cask ales: Constantly changing range of 6, better later in the week.  House beer(s): London "Pride"
Food: Traditional pub food at lunchtime; limited range of pizzas 5-9 pm
Guest policy: Moderately adventurous. Most of the beer comes via Waverley TSB (still some winners though) but some direct deliveries with Red Squirrel beers regularly appearing.
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually one available
Get there: 1 minute walk from Old Street on City Road South exit. Pub straddles two roads next to the eye hospital.
Public Transport: Old Street Tube (exit 8) Buses 214, 141, 205, 43, 135
Gen: Owner occupied freehouse.
Nearest scooping pubs: Wenlock Arms (5 mins) and Masque Haunt (Wetherspoons) 168 Old Street is very close and worth a look.
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Paul Daly / Simon Fyffe

Wenlock Arms (Free), 26 Wenlock Road, N1 7TA.  0207 608 3406. 
Opening hours: 12:00-00:00 (01:00 Thu - Sat)
Cask ales: Eight handpumps plus real cider.  House beer(s): None, but Adnams Bitter is semi-permanent
Food: Enormous sandwiches till 9, Friday lunch (usually curry)
Guest policy: Tends to be about half favourites, half new(ish)
Mild/dark beer policy: Always a mild - often other dark beers
Get there: via Windsor Terrace, North from City Road
Public Transport: Nearest tube Old Street (Exit 1). Buses 43, 205, 214, 394 stop at Windsor Terrace
Gen: Cellar runs Tuesday afternoon. Ask Burnley Dave or John Twatt at other times (if you're desperate). Occasional Festivals; one of London's two umissables.  Beers are a healthy mix of anything from old favourite brews to beer from recent breweries.  Some direct deliveries and some via wholesalers including Boggart. Anything new from Mighty Oak, Crouch Vale, Nethergate and Dark Star will come through.
Nearest scooping pubs: Old Fountain or Eagle.
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 John Bratley / Simon Fyffe / Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Edgar Wallace, 40 Essex Street, Westminster.  Closed weekends, guests can be anything but usually from micro breweries and includes some new beers.  3 mins walk from Temple tube (Circle & District).

East London.

Not a lot out in the east - unless Orient are playing!  The new Mason & Taylor place sounds good, though...

Worth a Look :

• Birkbeck Tavern, 45 Langthorne Road, Leyton.  Has three changing guest beers which can throw up some scoops if you're lucky.  Close to Leyton tube station.

• William IV, 816 High Road, Leyton.  Brodie's beers are made here (ex-Sweet William) having recently restarted production, with around ten to a dozen on at any time!  Bus 69 goes from Leyton tube or it's a 5-minute walk from Leyton Midland Road BR station.

North London.

Again, somewhat of a scooping wasteland with a couple of oases.

Junction Tavern (Free), 101 Fortess Road, Kentish Town, NW5 1AG. 0207 485 9400
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00 (until 10.30 Sun)
Cask ales: Four.  House beer(s): Caledonian Deuchers IPA
Food: Quality food all day in the restaurant area or in the pub
Guest policy: Three ever changing from micro breweries
Mild/dark beer policy: Occasional
Get there: Short walk from tube stations
Public Transport: Tufnell Park (slightly nearer) or Kentish Town tube (both Northern Line) and a couple of buses pass straight by.
Gen: The guests can be anything but usually from the more established micros. Seems to sell quite a few Tring and Cottage monthly specials. Good beer festivals twice a year with quite a few new beers featured. The pubs a bit gastro but drinkers are equally welcome and there's a nice friendly atmosphere.
Nearest scooping pubs: Hop on the Northern Line and head South on the Bank branch.
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Simon Fyffe

Worth a Look :

• Oxford, 256 Kentish Town Road.  Just S of Kentish Town tube with 3 ever-changing guests.

• Southampton Arms, 139 Highgate Road.  7 cask ales and 5 ciders on pump, close to Gospel Oak station.

• Horseshoe, 28 Heath Street, Hampstead.  Brewpub with two of it's own beers, the odd boring guest and expensive yet delicious food.  Brewing has moved out of the pub to a nearby location.

South London.

Getting better with a pretty decent choice if you know where to look - which is where we come in!

Trafalgar (Free), 23 High Path, Wimbledon, SW19 2JY. 0208 542 5342
Opening hours: 12:00-23:00 (midnight Fri and Sat)
Cask ales: 6 cask ales.  House beer(s): Pilgrim Thru'penny Hop Bitter (3.8%) - genuine brew for this pub only and always seems to be on.
Food: Snacks at lunchtime
Guest policy: 5 guests ever changing
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually one on (had three milds on when visited in May 2008 including a winner from the Isle of Wight)
Get there: 5 minutes walk from South Wimbledon tube - walk south and High Path is first on left
Public Transport: Northern line tube (S Wimbledon, 5 mins) or regular buses along Merton High Street
Gen: Small pub with a nice atmosphere (apart from when live singers turn up). Beers mainly from the South East but often has new ones to the scene. London CAMRA's Pub of the Year 2008 and a worthy winner.
Nearest scooping pubs: The Sultan (Hop Back) is five minutes walk away and always has a guest that will be the latest Hop Back or Downton seasonal and often new. The Wibbers Down Inn (Wimbledon Wetherspoon) is worth a look as sells 'off list beers' including King and Co, Weltons and Itchen Valley seasonals.
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Simon Fyffe

Worth a Look :

• Claret, 5a Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon.  Five guest beers (plus Palmers IPA) at this small shop conversion with nice atmosphere. Adventurous guest beer policy that sometimes includes some new beers. The monthly list is displayed indicating what has been sold and what has not.

• Dog & Bell, 116 Prince Street, Deptford.  Guests very varied - everything from common place to the odd new beer but an emphasis on south eastern beers and direct deliveries.  Regular trains to London Bridge from Deptford station (10 minute walk).

• Hooper's Bar, 28 Ivanhoe Road, London, SE5 8DH.  Freehouse out in the Southeast which has a decent range of changing guest beers plus some good festivals.

• The Old Brewery, The Pepys Building, The Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9LW.   Opening times 10:00 - 23:00.  Meantime's new brewpub venture which makes some interesting beers.

• White Horse, 1-3 Parson's Green, Fulham.  Nicknamed the 'Sloney Poney' and one step in the pub you can tell why. Apart from selling bucket loads of Pimms in Summer, this pub has vastly changed for the better under new management. Guests now include the likes of Twickenham, Ascot and other micros from further afield plus some more well known beers. Also has about 10 foreign draught beers with about five ever changing Belgian ones. The famous Old Ale Festival (last Saturday in November) is still around plus top Belgian beer fest in 2008 with some pretty rare stuff.

• Woodies, Thetford Road, New Malden.  Four bog standard beers from the likes of Fullers, Wells & Youngs etc but usually three from southern micros eg DSBC, Weltons, Waylands etc. Can often be new beers to the scene. It's an ex sports pavilion and full of character with good beer festival in August with quite a few 'winners' in 2008.  Only issue is transport; a 20 minutes walk from New Maldon or Maldon Manor stations or buses along the nearby A3.

West London.

Very little out west, stay on the train and try Reading!

Magpie and Crown (Free), 128 High Street, Brentford, TW8 0EW. 0208 560 5658
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 11:00-00:00, Thu-Sat 11:00-01:00, Sun 12:00-23:00
Cask ales: 4 ever-changing. 
Food: Most evenings and some lunchtimes - Thai food mainly
Guest policy: Could be anything but mainly from micros
Mild/dark beer policy: Fairly often
Get there: Bus or train / walk. Buses (Key to Hounslow etc) pass right by.
Public Transport: Brentford Rail Station (approx half hourly from Waterloo) is 10 mins walk north.
Gen: Nice pub and one of London's more adventurous - has sold well over 2000 guests in about 12 years but many repeats. Sadly well off the circuit but well worth a visit if in the area. Beers vary but Twickenham and other local-ish beers from the Home Counties feature regularly. Several foreign draught and bottled beers.
Nearest scooping pubs: Red Lion, Isleworth is one train stop away.
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Simon Fyffe

Worth a Look :

• Red Lion, 92-94 Linkfield Road, Isleworth.  Quite a few beers (9 or so) but not that adventurous although worth a peek if you're at the Magpie in Brentford.

Merseyside

Liverpool.

Fascinating city with much else to see and do besides the beer.  The pubs are amongst the most varied in the UK architecturally although it's no longer the scooping magnet it once was.  Still worth a crawl to see how good pubs should be run.

< list to follow >

Norfolk

King's Lynn.

Beers of Europe (Free), Garage Lane Setchey, King's Lynn, PE33 0BE. 01553 81200
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 09:00 - 18:00, Sun ?
Cask ales: None
Guest policy: Amongst the standard stuff there are some absolute blinders.
Get there: Situated down a narrow lane just off the A10, this place is a huge warehouse stuffed with all manner of beery (and other alcoholic) delights. You can run riot with a trolley and spend £200 easily… I know, we did it (twice!).
Public Transport: And carry all that beer?
Gen: Probably the most extensive list anywhere in the UK although you need to sort the wheat from the chaff and some of the rarest stuff isn't always in stock. Has a next-day delivery service so you don't have to trek all the way out to Anglia for your beers.
Nearest scooping pubs: Norwich
Last Updated: 19/11/2008 Gazza

Norwich.

Historic city with a very good cask ale scene and many pubs serving a great choice of ales.  Sounds perfect?  Well, sometimes quality could be better, it'll cost you, most of the multi-ale pubs have only local ales and there's a lot of walking to do between the pubs, but it's still one of the best cities in the UK for a day drinking cask ale and, if you're lucky, you'll get some scoops too!

Kings Head (Free), 42 Magdalen Street, NR3 1JE. 01603 620468
Opening hours: 12-12 ; 12-11 Sun
Cask ales: Woodfordes Nelsons Revenge plus up to 5 guest beers.  House beer(s): Winters Kings Head Bitter
Food: 12:30-19:00 each day
Guest policy: Mainly local beers
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Head North out of the centre along Magdalen St and the pub is a short distance before the flyover (St Crispins Road)
Public Transport: Buses stop at Anglia Square very close by.
Gen: Good selection of foreign beer.
Nearest scooping pubs: Fat Cat (20 mins), Duke of Wellington (10 mins)
Last Updated: 15/11/2008 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Duke of Wellington, 91 Waterloo Road.  Cracking pub out in the North of the city with over a dozen beers usually available from the 6 handpumps and stillage although not that many scoops.  Bus 16 passes nearby.

• Ketts Tavern, 29 Ketts Hill.  A bit out on a limb but has a decent range of mainly local brews on cask.  Recently changed hands and is, apparently, on the up again with 4 festivals a year and more guests.

• King's Arms, 22 Hall Road.  Ex Free house, now Batemans (!), this proper boozer nevertheless still offers a good range of ales (around 12) apart from the house swill and is still worth the ten minute walk.

• Ribs of Beef, 24 Wensum Street.  Riverside pub in the centre of the city which has a large range of real ales - typical for Norwich - although not a lot new these days.

• The Cidershed, 100 Lawson Road.  The location of the Fat Cat brewery so you may want to sup these beers at source!  Guest beers too.

• Trafford Arms, 61 Grove Road.  Old favourite south of the centre with around ten beers on handpump including some decent ones.  Not far from the King's Arms.

• Whalebone, 144 Magdalen Road.  Old Bullards pub on the way from the Welly to the Shed; around ten beers but beware of the house rebadges of Courage beers!

Northamptonshire

Kettering.

Alexandra Arms (Free), 39 Victoria Street, NN16 0BU.  01536 522730
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 14:00-23:00, Fri-Sat14:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-23:00
Cask ales: Ten handpumps.
House beer(s): Nobby's brewery on-site
Food: Light snacks
Guest policy: Always a Nobbys Beer available 10 handpumps in use at weekends
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: In the centre of Kettering, easily walkable from the station
Public Transport: Kettering BR (10 mins), Library bus stops (5 mins). Bus M50 stops opposite School Lane every hour from Bedford and others (A, B, C, D, 19, 24) stop here too.
Gen: The home of Nobby's brewery with a large turnover of guest ales. Has served over 3,000 beers in 4 years.
Nearest scooping pubs: Sawyers (3 mins)
Last Updated: 15/11/2008 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Sawyers (Potbelly), 44 Montagu Street, NN16 8RU.  01536 484800.
Opening hours: Mon CLOSED, Tue-Thu 19:00-23:00, Fri 20:00-00:00, Sat15:00-00:00, Sun 15:00-23:00
Cask ales: Eight handpumps or so
House beer(s): Regular outlet for Potbelly beers plus other guests such as Oakham
Food:
Guest policy: Some interesting guests plus all the Potbelly seasonals
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: In the centre of Kettering close to Newland Street bus stops
Public Transport: Kettering BR (10 mins), Library bus stops (5 mins)
Gen: Live music venue with a decent range of alternative bands (Eastfield, TMTCH etc) plus Potbelly beers.
Nearest scooping pubs: Alexandra Arms (3 mins)
Last Updated: 23/12/2008 Gazza

Northampton.

Famous for having a massive industrial-looking lager factory which you can smell from the motorway.  And some other stuff.

Malt Shovel Tavern (Free), 121 Bridge Street, NN1 1QF. 01604 234212
Opening hours: 11:30-15:00, 17:00-23:00 (Mon-Sat) 12:00-15:00, 19:00-22:30 (Sun)
Cask ales: Up to nine guests
House beer(s): Great Oakley Wot's Occurring, Harpers and Gobble - Frog Island Natterjack, Fullers London Pride
Food: Served Monday-Saturday, lunchtimes only (no evening menu) from 12 noon until 2pm with light snacks and specials.
Guest policy: Constantly changing guests. County based beer festivals twice yearly
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually a dark beer on
Get there: 10 mins walk from Northampton BR station
Public Transport: Lots of buses stop behind the pub by Morrisons. 15, X4, 1B to name a few
Gen: Guests beers are from all over UK, all new Great Oakley feature. 20 or so Belgians. Wednesday night blues bands.  Owned by landlord Mike Evans.
Nearest scooping pubs: None at present as Wig & Pen is closed (probably for good) following Fenland's closure.
Last Updated: 12/11/2008 Mark Edwards

Northumberland

Nottinghamshire

Beeston.

A fair sized town just three miles from Nottingham from which there a very frequent buses both NCT and Trent Barton. Beeston station is conveniently situated on the Nottingham to Derby/Leicester/London line and is served by a good number of trains, so easy to stop off at the Victoria and then continue on into the city.

Newark.

Just Beer Micropub (Free), Swan and Salmon Yard, 32A Castlegate.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:00->, Sun 12:00->
Cask ales: Four, maybe up to seven.
House beer(s):
Food: Local pork scratchings!!!
Guest policy: Very adventurous.
Mild/dark beer policy: Not really a policy.
Get there: Just off Castle Gate in the centre of Newark 
Public Transport: Close to Newark Castle station, 250m.
Gen: Only sells beer and nothing else drink-wise... in a single room!
Nearest scooping pubs:
Last Updated: 21/12/2010 Gazza

Nottingham.

Capital of the East Midlands, a fine city with a good mixture of the old and new. Famous for Robin Hood, Torvil and Dean and er... Harold Shipman who is Notts County's most famous former supporter! Plenty of pubs with a high proportion offering local brews, there are 21 breweries within 20 miles of the city centre. The annual Nottingham "Robin Hood" Beer Festival in the superb castle grounds, right in the city centre, is not to be missed - it offered a world record 616 different cask ales in 2008 and in 2010 aims to have closer to a thousand...

King William IV - the King Billy (Free), Eyre Street, NG2 4PB Tel: 0115 958 9864
Opening hours: 12:00-23:00 (Mon to Thur) 11:00-23:00 (Fri, Sat) and 12:00-22:30 (sun)
Cask ales: 7 Handpulls, Oakham JHB & bishops Farewell and 5 ever changing guests
Food: A selection of good quality rolls is usually available.
Guest policy: Only sells beers from micros, many from Oakham, Newby Wyke, Thornbridge and Abbeydale but often a surprise or two
Mild/dark beer policy: Rarely a mild on sale but the chance of other dark beers is pot luck
Get there: It is on the corner of Manvers Street and Eyre Street, right alongside the large NCT bus depot and very close to the National Ice Arena. From the Old Market Square walk either side of the Council House, the two roads merge at the top of the hill, carry on down the hill (Hockley) cross the inner ring road and carry on about 50 yards till you reach Huntingdon Street, turn right and then first left up Southwell Road and then first right onto Manvers street, the pub is 50 yards on your left
Public Transport: Bus stops are on Southwell Road, one minute from the pub. Lilac line buses.
Gen: Cracking little former Shipstones boozer that has been rescued by Jeff Blyth the former owner of Bunkers Hill and then The Moot when they were at their best. Concentrates mostly on hoppy golden beers
Nearest scooping pubs: The Newshouse, Canal Street (10 minutes walk), The Moot (3 minutes walk). The Lamp Tavern is just round the corner offering Barnsley Bitter and Old Tom at ridiculously cheap prices.
Last Updated: 28/12/2008 Steve Westby

Vat and Fiddle (Castle Rock), 12 - 14 Queensbridge Road, NG2 1NB Tel: 0115 985 0611
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 11:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-23:00
Cask ales: 11 Handpulls, usually four beers from the Castle Rock Brewery next door plus a range of ever changing guests
Food: A fairly limited hot food menu Midday to 3pm, a selection of rolls is usually available at other times
Guest policy: Always changing, but usually from the longer established micros and sometimes the regionals
Mild/dark beer policy: Always offers a guest mild.
Get there: Very close to the railway station and the tram terminus. Broad Marsh bus station is a couple of minutes walk away.
Gen: A proper drinkers pub with the emphasis on cask ales. The Castle Rock brewery tap, handy for the station and the football and cricket grounds. Often offers the Castle Rock monthly special.
Nearest scooping pubs: The Globe, London Road (ten minutes walk towards Trent Bridge), The Newshouse, Canal Street (5 minutes walk)
Last Updated: 28/12/2008 Steve Westby

Oxfordshire

Banbury.

Famous for Banbury Cross, Fyne Ladies on horseback, Cakes and... erm... Gary Glitter, Larry Grayson and Gordon Ramsey.

Woolpack (Free), 28 Horse Fair, OX16 0AE, 01295 265646 *** CURRENTLY CLOSED ***
Opening hours: 11:00–23:00 (daily apart from Sunday 12:00–22:30)
Cask ales: 7 Handpulls, 6 Guests.  House beer(s): Purity Gold
Food: Good quality with 2 distinct menus, 1 changing according to season and 2nd Mexican influenced. Holds a good reputation, both lunchtime and evenings . Also Sunday lunches.
Guest policy: Always changing, looks for new and interesting beers. Always first for new local beers and breweries.
Mild/dark beer policy: Aims always to have at least one dark beer available.
Get there: 10 minutes walk from both Railway and Bus Stations. Close to Banbury Cross so well signposted from all over Banbury.
Public Transport: Bus stop is outside the pub
Gen: Great pub atmosphere, sought out by genuine drinkers and those looking for good food. Outside of the circuit pubs, the enthusiastic landlords are careful with their reputation for providing quality.
Nearest scooping pubs: Stands alone in Banbury, so Oxford, Charlbury and Warwick.
Last Updated: 02/11/2008 Glen Stowe

Littleworth.

Worth a Look :

• Cricketer's Arms, 38 Littleworth.  Pump dedicated to local ale from small micros including Best Mates, Appleford, West Berks, Rebellion, Vale, Loddon and Old Bog.  Future plans include it's own brewery.  (25/07/2009)

Oxford.

City of Dreaming Spires, an uneasy mix of Town, Gown & Tourism.  Home of the Mini - the cars, not skirts - a glorious townscape of warm honey-coloured (beige) stone buildings.

Turf Tavern (Greene King), 4 Bath Place Holywell, OX1 3SU.
Opening hours: 12:00 - 23:00 Mon - Sat, 12:00 - 22:30 Sun
Cask ales: Up to 12 Cask Ales all on Hand pull around Island bar.
House beer(s): Greene King IPA & Abbott, White Horse Turf Tavern Summer Ale.
Food: There is a menu, but always long waits. Summer evening barbeques are good.
Guest policy: Best part of this pub, concentrates on single Micro breweries and areas so you can find up to 4 beers from a single rare Micro.
Mild/dark beer policy: Not aware of a Dark beer policy, more by luck than judgement
Get there: Best method is walk down Broad Street, then Holywell Street and turn into Bath Place. Follow alley to left and you are there.
Public Transport: Main line train to Oxford 20mins. No buses nearby.
Gen: Ok this is Greene King owned and is student and tourist central so always rammed, but the beer choice is very good and beers generally well kept.
Nearest scooping pubs: Far from the Madding Crowd (5 mins) & Royal Blenheim (10 mins)
Last Updated: 14/11/2008 Glen Stowe

Worth a Look :

• St Aldates Tavern, 108 St. Aldates.  Ex-Hobgoblin with six cask ales including some decent brews and the odd scoop.  Tends to favour local beers.

• Lamb & Flag, 12 St Giles.  Rambling old building with Palmers beers permanent (house is rebadged gold) and a few guests which can turn up the odd interesting micro.

Wantage.

Pretty town with a great real ale pub and, just on the outskirts, a bizarre filling station-cum beer shop-cum brewery.

Bellinger's of Grove (Free), Jet Filling Station, Station Road, Grove.
Opening hours: All day until late.
Cask ales: None
House beer(s): Pitstop brewery is apparently behind the garage although their beers aren't yet on sale there.
Food: Plenty of pasties, butties and the usual unhealthy filling station stuff.
Guest policy: Wide range of micro-brewed bottled beers (100+), many bottle-conditioned.
Mild/dark beer policy: Plenty of stouts and the like
Get there: At the North end of Grove village, about 2 miles from Wantage, the garage is easy to see being a huge garish thing and the beer shelves are at the back in the shop area. Totally not what you'd expect in such a place!
Gen: Now this is surreal… a filling station which sells over 200 types of bottled beer, mostly UK micros with a few foreign ones for good measure, at decent prices, and now has it's very own micro brewery (Pitstop) behind the place. If you're in the area, highly recommended.
Nearest scooping pubs: Royal Oak, Wantage (2 miles)
Last Updated: 20/11/2008 Gazza

Royal Oak (Free), Newbury Street, OX12 8DF. 01235 763129
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 17:00-23:00, Sat 12:00-14:30, 19:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-14:00, 19:00-22:30
Cask ales: Around ten
House beer(s): West Berkshire Dr Hexter's Healer and Dr Hexter's Wedding, Wad 6X
Food: Unknown
Guest policy: Six guest beers on handpump and gravity
Mild/dark beer policy: Not specifically.
Get there: In the small town of Wantage which has no rail station.
Public Transport: From Market place, Stagecoach 31 goes to Oxford although X30 is faster (between them, a bus every 30 mins), Thames 32 goes to Didcot parkway station at xx:01.
Gen: Has served interesting guest ales for years. A Camra POTY 2008.
Nearest scooping pubs: Grove Londis (shop), Grove (2 miles)
Last Updated: 19/11/2008 Gazza

Shropshire

Oakengates (Telford).

Part of the very confusing sprawl of this newtown, if you like roundabouts, dual carriageways with poor signage and identikit industrial parks you'll love it.  Most normal people hate it.

Crown (Free), Market Street, TF2 6EA.  01952 610888.
Opening hours:
Cask ales: Up to 12 on handpump, around 40 on pump at festivals.  House beer(s): Hobson's Bitter
Food:
Guest policy: Good range of beers from near and far, usually something to go for
Mild/dark beer policy: One dark beer on.
Get there: Telford is confusing, and getting to the Crown isn't easy. You can walk from Telford station along the dual carriageway, but try and get one of the less frequent trains to Oakengates from where it's a short walk.
Public Transport: Telford BR (15 mins), Oakengates BR (5 mins), Oakengates bus station (1 min)
Gen: A pub which has been on the circuit for years and has a bizarre token system during festivals! Has served over 9,000 beers since 1995.
Nearest scooping pubs: Station (1 min)
Last Updated: 30/10/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Alexander Tavern, .  Black Country brewery pub.

• Old Fighting Cocks, Market Street.  Yet another pub Everards have bought then leased out to a local micro, in this case Ironbridge.  Also has guest ales.  10 seconds from the Crown or Station Hotel.

• Station Hotel, 42 Market Street, Oakengates.  Across the road from the Crown, a relative newcomer which is making a big effort with it's cask ales.

Somerset

Bath.  Map  Report

Historic city with plenty of Roman remains around and a nice line in beige-coloured buildings which means you can't walk on the pavement in summer for crowds of feckin' tourists.

Royal Oak (Free).  Lower Bristol Rd (corner of Brook Road), Oldfield Park. 01225 481409. 
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Up to 10 guest beers, ever changing
House beer(s): None, all beers are guests, although Artbrew beers should always be available.
Food: Some bar snacks available although not at all times
Guest policy: Very interesting guest beers from all over the UK (some from Boggart) but in particular South West brewers.
Mild/dark beer policy: Generally at least one dark(ish) beer.
Get there: Unfortunately a fair way out of the centre, nevertheless this pub is your best bet in Bath for some interesting scoops.
Public Transport: BR Oldfield Park (5 mins, downhill on the way to the pub so 10 minutes back!), Bath Spa (15 mins), Bus 5 passes the door.
Gen: The city's must-visit scooping destination, run by Becky and John and is hovering close to my top-5 UK pubs, although the beer festivals (sometimes with a stillage) can be slightly too busy with normals showing just how popular it is!
Nearest scooping pubs: Raven (15 mins), Old Green Tree (20 mins)
Last Updated: 23/07/2010 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Old Green Tree, 12 Green Street.  Classic little bar, full of atmosphere, plus six guest ales make this Bath's central must-visit.  The sausage shop across the street is decent too! 

• Pig & Fiddle, 2 Saracen Street.  Ash Vine's old pub which now has around 5 guests on sale, mainly from SW brewers, and is consequently worth a look. 

• Raven, 6-7 Queen Street.  Older scoopers will remember this as Hatchetts but it's now very winebar-esque and continental with three guest ales, 2 house beers from Blindman's (I think at least the strong one is unique) and superb pies from Pieminister of Bristol. 

Weston-super-Mare.

Commonly known as "super mud" owing to the rancid beach, this former magnet for Saturday "holidaymaker express" trains has a good bar on the station.

Worth a Look :

• Off the Rails, Station Approach.  Four cask ales, a decent selection of local micros.

Staffordshire

Burton on Trent.

Former brewing capital of Britain now home to the Coors mega fizz factory and Marstons. Of more interest to scoopers are the smaller breweries Burton Bridge, Old Cottage, Tower and Black Hole.

Old Cottage Tavern (Free), 36 Byrkley Street, DE14 2EG.  01283 511615.
Opening hours: 12:00–23:00 daily
Cask ales: Usually 6.  House beer(s): Old Cottage Oak, Halcyon Daze and Stout
Food: Available lunch and evening
Guest policy: 3 guest beers reasonably interesting
Mild/dark beer policy: Old Cottage Stout always available
Get there: From Burton BR turn left to Town Hall, turn right immediately after town hall, pub on corner at end of road
Public Transport: Burton BR (5-6 mins)
Gen: Not actually owned by Old Cottage brewery but the only regular outlet for them
Nearest scooping pubs: Coopers Tavern, (8-10mins), Devonshire (8-10mins), Burton Bridge (20mins)
Last Updated: 12/11/08 Richard Nash

Worth a Look :

• Devonshire, Station Street.  Burton Bridge pub just over the bridge from the station with one ever changing guest.

•   Bridge Inn, 24 Bridge Street.  Burton Bridge Brewery Tap, full range of Burton Bridge beers including Gold Medal monthly specials and seasonals.

Leek.

Nice little town with a good variety of beers on sale in it's various pubs.

Den Engel (Free),  23-25 St Edward Street.  01538 373551
Opening hours: Mon-Tue 17:00-23:00; Wed-Thu 11:00-23:30; Fri-Sat 11:00-00:00; Sun 12:00-00:00
Cask ales: Varies.  House beer(s):
Food:
Guest policy: Up to four ever changing guest beers
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Leek is without a railway, thanks to that tosser Beeching, but is easily reached from Stoke by bus.
Public Transport: First bus 18 goes every 15 minutes or so to Hanley. 
Gen: Bias toward Yorkshire Breweries, around 10 Belgian beers on draught and 40 in bottle
Nearest scooping pubs: Wilke's Head (2 mins)
Last Updated: 13/11/08 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Wilkes Head, 16 St Edward Street.  Whim tied house offering 4 guest beers and Whim's own cracking beers.

Lichfield

Stoke on Trent.

Historic china-making area with various towns making up Stoke itself.  Not the most picturesque of cities but if you like industrial architecture there are plenty of reminders of Stoke's former glory around including some of the old pot kilns.  Not a lot beery around although there are a few places worth a try more for decent beer than much hope of a scoop.  It helps if you like Titanic beers...

Worth a Look :

• Beer Emporium, 38 Market Place, Burslem.  New beer shop with a good range of UK BCA's and German/Belgian beers although they seem to lack language skills and call them "Belgium beers"...

• White Star, 63 Kingsway.  Titanic pub with a decent range of beer including a couple of guests plus Shugborough beers when brewed and Titanic seasonals.

Stone.

Swan Inn (Free), 18 Stafford Street, ST15 8QW.  01785 815570
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 11:00-23:00; Thu-Sat 11:00-01:00; Sun 12:00-23:00
Cask ales: Up to ten guest ales
House beer(s): John Joules Beers brewed at Coach House but maybe soon from their own brewery!
Food: Snacks such as pies and rolls available
Guest policy:
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually Coach House Gunpowder Mild
Get there: Trains to Stone are cancelled so you need to use the replacement bus from Stafford to get there (Might be back on again now?)
Public Transport: Stone BR (10 mins) although trains are currently suspended (probably for ever, but that's what you get when you let bus companies run trains) with the pub being close to the current Granville Square bus stop for rail replacement buses to Stafford.
Gen: Beerfest each July in this Grade 2 listed pub.
Nearest scooping pubs: Burton-on-Trent, Leek or Stoke
Last Updated: 10/09/2009 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Suffolk

Ipswich.

Dove Street Inn (Free), 76 St Helens Street, IP4 2LA.  01473 211270
Opening hours: 12:00-22:45 daily
Cask ales: Around 20 beers on sale
House beer(s): Adnams Broadside, Crouch vale Brewers Gold, Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde Mild
Food: Good varied home cooked menu including superb Pieminister pies!
Guest policy: Up to 20 cask beers on sale
Mild/dark beer policy: Always a dark beer on sale
Get there: Just to the East of the centre, easily found on the B1075.
Public Transport: Ipswich BR (15 mins), Old cattle market bus station (10 mins)
Gen: 3 x beer festivals a year.
Nearest scooping pubs: Fat Cat (10 mins)
Last Updated: 13/11/08 Dave Hughes

Fat Cat (Free), 288 Spring Road, IP4 5NL.  01473 726424
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00( midnight Fri); Sat 11:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-23:00
Cask ales: Over a dozen beers at any one time.  House beer(s): Woodfordes Wherry, Crouch Vale Brewers Gold
Food: None
Guest policy: 15 cask beers on sale via handpump and gravity
Mild/dark beer policy: Always a dark beer on sale
Get there: Carry on out of town from the Dove Street; it soon turns into Spring Road, crosses the railway and the pub is uphill on the right.
Public Transport: Ipswich (Derby Road) BR, 10 mins, First 75 to Old cattle market bus station.
Gen: Yet another Fat Cat with loads of beers, this one is a fair way out of the centre but worth the trip.
Nearest scooping pubs: Dove Street Inn (10 mins)
Last Updated: 13/11/08 Dave Hughes

Surrey

Egham.

Egham United Services Club (Free), 111 Spring Rise, TW20 9PE.
Opening hours: Opens 12:00 daily, closes 23:00 except Fri & Sat, Midnight.
Cask ales: Five handpulls, some interesting guest beers.
House beer(s): Rebellion IPA
Food: Snacks every day, hot food Friday from 18:00 and Sunday 13:00-16:00.
Guest policy: Increasingly adventurous, great beer festivals.
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually a dark beer on one of the guest pumps
Get there:  Just off the High Street, take Limes Rd, then right into Spring Rise.
Public Transport: Five minutes from Egham BR.
Gen: Take your CAMRA card to get in.  Runs a beer festival 3 times a year with loads of scoops.
Nearest scooping pubs: London!
Last Updated: 26/11/2009 Ian Davey.

Newdigate.

Surrey Oaks (Free), Parkgate Road, RH5 5DZ.  01306 631200
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30-14:30, 17:30-23:00; Sat 11:00-15:00, 17:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Around five beers at any one time including some rare stuff, the list is on the website.
Food: Restaurant and bar food except Sunday and Monday evenings.
Guest policy: Interesting guest beers, over 300 a year, and plenty of local beers too.  Surrey Hills Ranmore Ale is semi-permanent.
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually one in winter, less often in summer.
Get there: In country lanes NW of Gatwick Airport, not easy to reach! 
Public Transport: Bus 522 leaves Dorking White Horse stop N or bus 914 goes to Horley Tesco - if that helps!!
Gen: Country pub with a good beer range although not easy to find.  Two beer festivals are held on May and August Bank Holidays
Nearest scooping pubs: None!
Last Updated: 10/02/09 Gazza / Roy Golding

Sussex

Brighton.

Old-time scooping hotspot with a pub close to many old-time scooper's hearts in the form of the "Star", still going strong today.  Many of the other pubs have closed or changed, however.

Evening Star (Dark Star), 55-56 Surrey St, BN1 3PB.  01273 328931
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 11:30:-00:00
Cask ales: Around eight cask ales.  House beer(s): Dark Star Hophead, seasonal beers
Food:
Guest policy: At least 4 guest beers, some quite interesting
Mild/dark beer policy: Dark Star Oatmeal stout on tap
Get there: Easy to find a very short walk from the rail station.
Public Transport: Brighton BR (2 mins)
Gen: Old-time scooping favourite from the early 90's which has changed a bit since and, whilst no longer at the forefront of scooping, is still well worth a visit. Regular music from alternative acts such as Wob and Attila the Stockbroker.
Nearest scooping pubs: London
Last Updated: 14/11/2008 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Lewes.

Pretty town with one of the best remaining regional brewers claiming pride of place by the river.

Gardeners Arms (Dark Star), 46 Cliffe High Street, BN7 2AN.  01273 474808
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:00-23:00 (23:30 Fri & Sat); Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Half a dozen cask beers.  House beer(s): Harveys Best Bitter
Food:
Guest policy: Up to six guest beers
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Just across the river and almost opposite Harveys.
Public Transport: Lewes BR is 15 mins walk or the bus station 5 mins; Buses 28, 29.
Gen: If you're in Lewes then, as a change from Harveys and Greede Kerching, have a look in here!
Nearest scooping pubs: Evening Star, Brighton
Last Updated: 13/11/08 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Tyne & Wear

Jarrow.

Robin Hood (Jarrow), Primrose Hill, NE32 5UB.  0191 248 5454
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00, 11:00-23:30, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Jarrow plus half a dozen guest ales.  House beer(s): Jarrow Bitter, Rivet Catcher
Food: Restaurant
Guest policy: Up to six guest beers
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there:
Public Transport: Metro Fellgate (10 mins), bus 87 to Jarrow bus station from Hedworth Lane.
Gen: Former brewpub.
Nearest scooping pubs: Newcastle.
Last Updated: 13/11/08 Dave Hughes

Newcastle.

Famous for "Newky Broon" (now made in the ex-Federation plant at Dunston so losing the EU protected mark although this plant too is due to close), the Fat Slags and other Viz characters, Bigg Market, people wandering around in winter with very little on and "curry hell"... plus other more interesting stuff.  The Sir John Fitzgerald chain of pubs must be the finest in the UK scoops-wise.

• Clarendon, High Street East.  Home of Bull Lane beers, 5 mins walk from the centre.

• Dun Cow, High Street West.  Three guest beers, generally one Bull Lane beer.

• Fitzgeralds, 2 Green Terrace.  The pick of the crop with 10 ales (9 guests plus Black Sheep).

Warwickshire

Alcester.

A quiet backwater north of Stratford upon Avon. Founded in Roman times and left to its own devices since as nothing of note has ever happened.

Holly Bush (Free), 37 Henley St. B49 5QX. 01789 762482.
Opening hours: 12:00 – 23:00 daily (12:30 Sun)
Cask ales: Up to 8 Handpumps 4 used for local beers and 4 for changing guests. House beers Purity Gold, UBU; Uley Bitter
Food: Pub grub to decent quality, very popular
Guest policy: larger Micro Breweries to new starters.
Mild/dark beer policy: Regularly has a Mild on.
Get there: The pub is very close to the main church near the centre.
Public Transport: No railway station in Alcester, it being a backwater, but regular buses from Stratford(25, 26 or 29) and Redditch (246, 247).
Gen: 17th Century true local, plenty of rooms with a good garden area. Beer Festivals in June and October.
Nearest scooping pubs: Try The Three Tuns on High St.
Last Updated: 23/11/2008 Glen Stowe

Worth a Look :

• Three Tuns, 34 High St.  Freehouse on the main street in Alcester, run by old codger who keeps a wary eye on everyone. Up to 8 Real Ales on Hand Pulls, occasionally really interesting beers.

Nuneaton.

Lloyds (Free), 10 Bond Street, CV11 4BX. 0247 6373343.
Opening hours:
Cask ales: Up to ten real ales on handpump
Food: Assume so!
Guest policy: Plenty of micro-brewed beers on sale, fairly adventurous.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: The pub is a few minutes' walk from the rail station and therefore just north of the ringroad.
Public Transport: Nuneaton BR (2 mins); exit the station and you can't miss it!
Gen: Large place which is really making an effort with it's beers and serves a good range of micro ales with even more at it's beer festival.
Nearest scooping pubs: Leicester
Last Updated: 23/11/2008 Gazza

Rugby.

A place which recently lost it's claim to fame when the atomic clock - hence the brewery name, don't assume it's run by some dodgy geezer with aspirations of world domination - was moved to another location, meaning that now Rugby has nothing to recommend it at all.

Victoria Inn (Free), 1 Lower Hillmorton Road, CV21 3ST.  01788 544374
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 16:00-23:00, Fri 16:00-01:00, Sat 12:00-01:00, Sun 12:00-23:30
Cask ales: 14 handpumps on the bar.  House beer(s): Atomic Bomb, Fission, Strike, Half Life
Food:
Guest policy: 4-5 handpumps dedicated to micro guest beers
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Just to the East of the centre.
Public Transport: Rugby BR (10 mins)
Gen: 2 beer festivals are held each year at this tap of Atomic brewery.
Nearest scooping pubs:
Last Updated: 13/11/08 Dave Hughes

Warwick

Wild Boar (Everards / Slaughterhouse), 27 Lakin Road
Opening hours:
Cask ales: Slaughterhouse beers and Everards plus guests, 9 in total.
Food: 
Guest policy: Unknown
Mild/dark beer policy: Unknown
Get there: Very close to Warwick station, 
Public Transport: Warwick BR (5 mins)
Gen: Opened late 2010, yet another venture between Everards and a micro brewer.
Nearest scooping pubs:
Last Updated: 21/12/2010 Gazza

West Midlands

Birmingham city centre.  Map

Still, despite redevelopment, mainly a concrete wasteland surrounded by run-down semi-derelict estates, Brum isn't really a destination venue.  The famous Black Country has loads of good pubs although transport links are poor from the centre.  If you need to stay you can do a lot worse than the Briar Rose Wetherlodge.

Anchor (Free).  308 Bradford Street, Digbeth, B5 6ET.  0121 6224516.
Opening hours: From 12:00 till late
Cask ales: Up to 14 on handpump, sometimes cellar runs too.  House beer(s): Tetleys bitter (!) is permanent.
Food: Bar snacks - curry, chip butties etc at decent prices.
Guest policy: Getting more adventurous with plenty of new breweries featured. More beers generally come on Wednesday evenings.
Mild/dark beer policy: Always a mild, usually Hobsons
Get there: On the outskits of the centre close to Digbeth coach station.
Public Transport: Various buses (inc. No 50) pass the pub or call at Digbeth coach station.  BR New St (10 mins) or Moor Street (10 mins)
Gen: Brum's foundation scooping pub which received a well-needed kick up the arse when the Welly opened and has now upped it's game considerably. The pub itself has various rooms and is a classic Victorian brick pile.
Nearest scooping pubs: Lamp (10 mins), Wellington (15 mins)
Last Updated: 15/11/2008 Gazza

Wellington (Free).  37 Bennett's Hill, city centre, B2 5SN.  0121 200 3115.  Opening : 10:00-00:00 7 days.
Cask ales: 16 beers generally on sale from a massive bank of handpulls
House beer(s): Black Country fireside, BFG and seasonal, Wye Valley HPA
Food: None, although they supply cutlery/plates etc for you to bring your own
Guest policy: Maybe not as adventurous as it once was but still good; you can see what's currently on via the website
Mild/dark beer policy: Always at least one, usually two.
Get there: Right in the city centre close to Victoria Square and just off New Street by the cathedral
Public Transport: BR to New Street (5 mins) or Snow Hill (5 mins), Tram to Snow Hill (5 mins)
Gen: Ex-wine bar with a stunning array of handpumps that change as you watch! View the range on the website before you visit. The pub Brum was crying out for all those years.
Nearest scooping pubs: Anchor (15 mins), Lamp (20 mins)
Last Updated: 15/11/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Bartons Arms, 144 High Street, Aston.  Oakham pub out in the badlands which serves superb Thai food and is itself a work of redbrick Victorian art.

• Briar Rose, Bennett's Hill.  Wetherspoons (with Wetherlodge) which mimics the Welly in having a large screen with the beers on it, but the range doesn't quite match up… still one of the better Wetherspoons and worth a look.

• Lamp Tavern, 257 Barford Street, Digbeth.  Longstanding cask pub, situated in a shabby area, serving half a dozen good beers sometimes including the rare Stanway brewery. Only 5-10 minutes from the Anchor.

• Lord Clifden, 34 Great Hampton Street.  Normally has Urban beers on sale.

• Old Contemptibles, 176 Edmund Street.  Ornate old M&B pub with up to 10 guest beers which may include the odd winner.

•   Old Moseley Arms, 53 Tindall Street.  Pub out in the south which has some guest beers and decent beer festivals.

Halesowen.

Vaguely Black Country SW suburb of Birmingham which has one of the most famous cask ale pubs in the UK, the "Waggon".  That's about it, really, although Lye (close to where the Waggon is) has a good choice of curry houses.

Waggon & Horses (Free), 21 Stourbridge Road, Halesowen, B63 3TU.  0121 550 4989.
Opening hours: 12:00 onwards daily.
Cask ales: Over a dozen beers at any time, around 8 being guests.  House beer(s): Batham's Bitter, Nottingham EPA, Oakham White Dwarf and Holdens Special.
Food: Sandwiches, pork pies, burgers, pickles etc. available 12:00-19:00
Guest policy: Mainly Midlands-based Micros
Mild/dark beer policy: At least one
Get there: In the vast sprawl of the Black Country, on several bus routes although a bit of a trip out of central Brum.
Public Transport: Lye (BR) 5 mins, buses 242,244,139 and others pass outside.
Gen: A classic street-corner pub which hasn't changed a lot since the 1960's, this place is a classic which everyone should visit once, although sadly Don the manager passed away recently.
Nearest scooping pubs: Hawne Tavern (5 mins)
Last Updated: 15/11/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Hawne Tavern, 76 Attwood Street.  Six guest ales mean this pub, close to the Waggon, is well worth a look.

• Somers Sports and Social club, The Grange, Grange Hill.  Ten beers on cask, show CAMRA card to gain entry (or blag it!)

Kinver.

Cross Inn (Black Country Ales), Church Hill Close, Kinver, Stourbridge, DY7 6HZ.
Opening hours: ?
Cask ales: Black Country beers plus guests from further afield.
Food:
Guest policy: Assumed to be similar to the Welly in Brum - i.e. worth a look!
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there:
Public Transport: Bus 227 (hourly) goes from Stourbridge Bus Station to Kinver.
Website:
Gen: Opened recently in this guise, not more gen known at present... reports please!
Nearest scooping pubs: Worcester, Birmingham
Last Updated: 13/07/2010 Gazza

Stourbridge.

Duke William (Free), Coventry Street.
Opening hours: ?
Cask ales: 8 Handpulls, Sadler's Mud City Stout, Pardoe's Original and Wye Valley HPA plus guests
Food:
Guest policy: No gen as yet
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there:
Public Transport: Stourbridge Town, 5 mins.
Website:
Gen: Recently changed to a guest beer pub, nothing else known at present...
Nearest scooping pubs: Birmingham
Last Updated: 13/12/2009 Gazza

Walsall.

Black Country Arms (Free), High Street, Walsall, WS1 1QW
Opening hours:
Cask ales: 16 Handpulls
Food:
Guest policy: Apparently to be local micros
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: At the end of the pedestrianised centre.
Public Transport: 5 mins from Walsall BR and Newport St bus stands.
Website:
Gen: Opened in November 2008. The pub - which was previously called the Cobra Lounge and, before that, The Green Dragon - has undergone substantial refurbishment but maintains it’s very grand character. There has been a licensed inn on the same site since 1627.
Nearest scooping pubs: Birmingham
Last Updated: 17/12/2008 Gazza

Wiltshire

Swindon.

Strange place with a nice old bit and plenty more horrible new concrete bits.  Conveniently bypassed by the A417 although there's plenty of GWR stuff around the place - including the famous railway village with the Glue Pot pub and engine works - to see if that's your thing.

Blunsdon Arms (Ember Inns), Thamesdown Drive, SN25 2NA. 01793 729801
Opening hours: Sun-Wed 11:00-23:00, Thu-Sat 11:00-00:00
Cask ales: 6 cask ales.  House beer(s):
Food: Every day until 21:00
Guest policy: From the Ember list plus others
Mild/dark beer policy: Depends if one's on the list
Get there: Really in Blunsdon (the place where they're building a bypass at last) not Swindon.
Public Transport: Buses 13/14/15 go from the nearby Asda at Haydon Wick to the centre of Swindon.
Gen: One of the better Ember Inns for guest ales.
Nearest scooping pubs:
Last Updated: 06/11/2008 Gazza

Worcestershire

Hanley Castle.

Three Kings (Free), Church End, Hanley Castle, Worcester, WR8 0BL. 01684 592686
Opening hours: "Old fashioned" hours, I think 12:00-14:30 and from 18:00
Cask ales: Eight or so
House beer(s): Hobsons Bitter, Butcombe Stout (okay, bitter)
Food: Home-made
Guest policy: Mainly local although all sorts of stuff does appear especially at the festival
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Out in the sticks; Astons service 363 (yes, they really are called that!) buses from Worcester stop at the post office on the main road about 5 mins walk from the pub every hour or so.
Public Transport: Astons 363 from Worcester.
Gen: Time-warp pub where nothing has changed in years. Some call it dirty some traditional, but it's a cask ale hotspot whatever your opinions.
Nearest scooping pubs: Worcester
Last Updated: 17/12/2008 Gazza

Worcester.  Map

City with strong civil war connections and famous for being the ex-home of the Jolly Roger brewery at a time when brewpubs in the UK were rare, there's a sprinkling of decent pubs around and some nice old half-timbered street to wander around whilst waiting for them to open.

Dragon (Free).  51 The Tything, 01905 25845.
Opening hours: M-T 12:00-15:00 and 16:30-23:00, F 12:00-15:00 and 16:30-23:30, Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 13:00-16:00 and 19:00-22:30
Ownership: Free House, owned by Richard Appleton who also owns the Wellington (Cask & Cutler) in Sheffield
Cask ales: Six handpumps.  House beer(s): Usually has rebadged Millstone Baby Git (Tiger Rut) and Old Git (True Grit) on sale plus Little Ale Cart house beers brewed in Sheffield.
Food: Lunchtimes only plus rolls.
Guest policy: From list of "approved" breweries; Cannon Royall, Mighty Oak, Salamander, Pictish, Steel City etc...
Mild/dark beer policy: One dark-ish bitter generally on sale (almost always a West Berkshire seasonal)
Get there: Close to the centre of Worcester, easily walkable from Foregate street.
Public Transport: BR Foregate Street (5 mins)
Gen: Not a scoopers pub as such, but the beer range is sufficiently interesting - the best beer range in the city - to warrant a look.
Nearest scooping pubs: Saracen's Head (1 min), Postal Order (5 mins), Plough (10 mins)
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Plough, Corner of Deansway and Fish Street.  Cracking pub now thriving under new management and sells a range of up to 6 cask ales from mainly local brewers with some surprises; good food too.

• Postal Order, 18 Foregate Street.  This Wetherspoons is well worth a look being 2 mins from Foregate Street station on the way to the Dragon and Saracen's.   Seems like the enthusiastic manager has gone and the range is consequently not as good as it was.

• Saracen's Head, 4 The Tything.  An archetypal coaching inn entrance leads down a passageway to the back bar where up to 6 guest beers are served (the range is very hit-and-miss); these can be anything from the mundane to the magnificent, well worth a look and almost opposite the Dragon.   Make sure you go down the passage to the rear room to see the guest beers as those on the front bar are crap.
   

Yorkshire (East)

Driffield.

Tiger Inn (Free), 65 Market Place.  01377 257490
Ownership: Free House
Cask ales: 4 Real ales
Food:
Guest policy: Regularly changing guest beers
Get there: Short walk from Driffield BR.
Public Transport: Approx 7 mins walk from Driffield Railway Station turn right from station and follow the road 121 bus Hull to Scarborough also goes down this road
Nearest scooping pubs: Hull
Last Updated: 02/11/2008 Ian Beadle

Howden.

Barnes Wallis Inn (Free), Station Road, North Howden. 01430 430639
Opening hours: Mon closed, Tue-Fri 17:00-23:00, Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Has at least two guest ales on from around the country
Food: Apparently very good.
Guest policy: Usually has a beer festival on twice a year with approx ten real ales on.
Public Transport: Howden BR (1 min)
Gen: Good little pub virtually on the station at Howden platform for Leeds. Superb food.
Nearest scooping pubs: Hull
Last Updated: 02/11/2008 Ian Beadle

Hull.

Fishing port at the end of the M62, famous for John Prescott being MP!

Yorkshire (North)

Skipton.

Red Lion (Greene King), High Street, BD23 1DT.  01756 790718
Opening hours: Monday - Wednesday 10am - 11pm.Thursday - Saturday 10am - 12mn.Sunday 11am - 11pm.
Cask ales: 7 changing guest beers plus GKIPA
House beer(s): Usual Greene King offerings, but 4 guest beers on at time of last visit!
Food: A varied menu plus specials and themed nights throughout the week.
Guest policy: 4 guest beers normally available, up to 7
Mild/dark beer policy: Unsure
Get there: The Red Lion is near the top of the main street near the church
Public Transport: Skipton .5m, buses from Bradford, Keighley, Colne, Harrogate
Gen: A Greene King pub, has undergone a major refurbishment, with loads of guest ales on, including a house beer from Titanic, Red Lion Best Bitter 3.5%
Nearest scooping pubs: Cock and Bottle, Devonshire (Wetherspoons)
Last Updated: 09/09/09 Richard Vogel

York.

Ancient Roman city with a wealth of non-beery attractions but has more than it's fair share of quality pubs where, despite the unlikely event of a scoop, you'll get some decent beer.  York brewery is making some interesting stuff at the moment and the city rewards a bit of exploration.  Thanks a lot to Allan Conner for the full beer rundown.

Bay Horse (Little Tap Pub Co), 68 Marygate YO30 7BH.  01904 541926
Opening hours: 11:00-23:00 Sun to Thurs, 11:00-23:30 Fri & Sat
Cask ales:  4 guests (may include GK seasonal)
House beer(s): GK IPA, Abbot
Food: 12 to 3 and 5 to 8 daily (except Tuesday evening)
Guest policy: Three or four from micros, usually Yorkshire breweries.
Mild/dark beer policy: No policy
Get there: Cross the River Ouse from the Maltings, turn left down steps to riverside path, pub is just off the riverbank
Public Transport:
Gen: Reopened in late December 2008 after being closed for 5 years. Check website for current beers and what is in the cellar. Beer festival for Yorkshire Day (1st August) 30th July to 4th August
Nearest scooping pubs: Maltings (5 minutes)
Last Updated: 06/05/2009 Allan Conner

Yorkshire Terrier (York ), 10 Stonegate, YO1 8AS, 01904 676722.
Opening hours: 11:00-23:00 Mon to Thur, 11:00-00:00 Fri & Sat, 12:00-23:00 Sun
Cask ales: 9 handpumps, up to 5 from York Brewery + guests (balance varies)
House beer(s):
Food: Lunchtimes
Guest policy: Swaps with other micros and regionals
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: In pedestrianised street leading to York Minster
Public Transport:
Gen: Brewery swaps for guests means likelihood of new beers varies
Nearest scooping pubs: Judges Lodgings & Guy Fawkes (both 3 minutes)
Last Updated: 06/05/2009 Allan Conner

Worth a Look :

• Ackhorne, 9 St.Martins Lane, YO1 6LN.  Enterprise - Roosters Yankee + 4 quests, occasional new beers

• Lamb & Lion, 4 High Petergate, YO1 7EH.  Same ownership as Guy Fawkes nearby - Black Sheep best + 3 guests, usually from Yorkshire micros.  *** CLOSED ***

• Last Drop, 27 Colliergate, YO1 8BN.  York Brewery - 6 handpumps, usually 3 or 4 York beers + 2 or 3 guests.

• Lendal Cellars, 26 Lendal YO1 2AA.  Greene King plus 2 or 3 guests.

• Minster Inn, 24 Marygate, YO30 7BH.  Marstons Bitter, Jennings Snecklifter + 3 guests mainly from the Marston's empire, often seasonals.

• Old White Swan, 80 Goodramgate, YO1 3LF.  Mitchells & Butlers - John Smiths, York Terrier, Taylor Landlord + 2 guests from M&B list.

• Ye Olde Starre, 40 Stonegate, YO1 8AS.  Spirit Group - Theakston OP, Taylor Landlord, John Smiths + 3 guests.

• Pivni, Patrick Pool, YO1 8BB.  Free House with up to 3 cask beers from micros. Best foreign beer range in city including rarities (for UK) on draught.

• Punch Bowl, 5-9 Blossom Street, YO24 1AU.  Small Wetherspoons with 8 handpumps, 3 national regulars + up to 5 guests including local micros.

• Punch Bowl, 7 Stonegate, YO1 8AN.  Mitchells & Butlers - 2 or 3 local breweries + 2 or 3 guests from M&B list.

• Victoria, 1 Heslington Road, YO10 5AR.  Old Mill Brewery - three of their beers including a seasonal.

Yorkshire (South)

Chapeltown (Sheffield).

Really a suburb of Sheffield although far enough out to deserve it's own entry.

Sheffield.  Map

Sheffield is scoop-city central; the best city in the UK for new beers has a load of classic pubs of various styles, when put together into a crawl you have the best day out beer-wise in the UK bar none with 3 brewpubs.  The tram is your friend when getting to most of the top pubs!

Fat Cat (Free), 23 Alma Street, 0114 249 4801.
Opening hours: From 12:00 M-Sat, Sun
Cask ales: Ten or so cask ales.  House beer(s): Up to 4 Kelham Island beers brewed across the car park (or maybe not…) plus Taylor's Landlord
Food: Very good veggie food lunchtimes
Guest policy: Fairly pedestrian guest beers although the odd rarity crops up.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: In the middle of the Valley of Beer crawl.
Public Transport: Tram to Shalesmoor (5 mins, Yellow Route for Middlewood or the Blue Route for Malin Bridge)
Gen: Sheffield's original scooper's pub, the Cat started brewing in the early 90's in the small shed behind the pub, a new brewery opened in the car park some time later. A classic interior, multi-roomed, one of the city's must-visits, has sold over 6,500 guest beers since opening in 1981 although the beer range isn't as interesting as it once was.
Nearest scooping pubs: Kelham Island Tavern (2 mins), Harlequin (5 mins), Wellington (10 mins)
Last Updated: 27/10/2008 Gazza

Harlequin (The Brew Company), 108 Nursery Street.  0114 249 4181.
Opening hours: From 11:30 Mon-Sat, Sun 12:00-late.
Cask ales: Lots of handpumps, eight are guests.  House beer(s): Brewco
Food: Lunchtimes only Mon-Sat, cheap and very good home-made pub food.
Guest policy: The most interesting choice in Sheffield, beers come from Boggart, the Road crew and direct from brewers.
Mild/dark beer policy: Dedicated dark beer pump
Get there: A good start or end point for the Sheffield crawl. From Ponds Forge tramstop, head down Haymarket then cross the River Don at the bottom past the old Whitbread brewery. Turn left once across river into Nursery St and the pub is at the other end of the road, about 5 mins walk, on the right in front of an impressive old mill.
Public Transport: Supertram Ponds Forge (10 mins), Sheffield BR and bus station (15 mins)
Gen: Now under the control of the Brew Company, the pub still sells lots of guests although the range isn't as interesting as it was.
Nearest scooping pubs: Fat Cat (5 mins), Kelham Island Tavern (5 mins), Wellington (10 mins)
Last Updated: 23/07/2010 Gazza

Hillsborough Hotel (Free), 56 Langsett Road, Hillsborough. 0114 232 2100.
Opening hours: From 12:00 Mon-Sat
Cask ales: Eight handpumps plus cellar runs if they're not too busy.  House beer(s): Crown brewery beers from the cellar.
Food: Excellent home-cooked food lunchtimes and evenings in the week.
Guest policy: Fairly adventurous guest ales are found here.
Mild/dark beer policy: Generally one available.
Get there: At the far northern end of the Valley of Beer crawl, handily located alongside the tramline.
Public Transport: Tram to Langsett/Primrose View (2 mins, Yellow Route for Middlewood or the Blue Route for Malin Bridge)
Gen: Made a name for itself when run by Del, this hotel (good rooms) has it's own brewery and is an altogether top place.
Nearest scooping pubs: Wellington (5 mins, via tram), George IV (5 mins)
Last Updated: 27/10/2008 Gazza

Kelham Island Tavern (Free), 62 Russell Street, S3 8RW.  0114 272 2482.
Opening hours: From 12:00 Mon-Sun.
Cask ales: Ten cask ales on sale.  House beer(s): Thwaites mild and bitter, Pictish Brewer's Gold
Food: Good value and home-made pub food 12:00-15:00 Tues-Sat; get the Henderson's relish in!  Guest crisps too including superb Yorkshire crisps.
Guest policy: Perhaps not as interesting as it was, but still plenty of beers (emphasis on Yorkshire brewers) to go at.
Mild/dark beer policy: Thwaites Mild plus usually a stout/porter.
Get there: In an area rapidly being turned into Student central, right in the middle of the Valley of Beer cluster of pubs close to the Kelham Island museum.
Public Transport: Tram to Shalesmoor (5 mins, Yellow Route for Middlewood or the Blue Route for Malin Bridge)
Gen: Once a dodgy keg-only pub in an equally dodgy area, this is now a showpiece for what can be done if a pub is run properly. Pulls in locals and scoopers for the good food and beer served. Occasional festivals in the garden.  Don't sit in Frank's seat of there will be mither...
Nearest scooping pubs: Fat Cat (2 mins), Wellington (Cask, 5 mins), Harlequin (10 mins)
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza

Sheffield Tap (Thornbridge), Platform 1b, Sheffield Midland Station.
Opening hours: From 12:00.
Cask ales: Ten cask ales on sale plus UK/Foreign beers on tap.  House beer(s): Beers from the Thornbridge range.
Food: None?
Guest policy: Generally have a range from a particular brewery on sale as they get a pallet at a time.
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually a dark Thornbridge beer on sale - if you're lucky it will be Raven!
Get there: Access off platform 1 of the station or from outside.  When looking at the front of the station, the entrance is hidden around the left-hand side, just follow the road and you'll see it as the building steps in.
Public Transport: Tram to Railway Station (Blue Route for Malin Bridge or Purple route for Herdings Park)
Gen: Re-opened after years of closure, this superb bar has a large range of foreign beer in bottles and on tap plus UK cask ales.  Well worth a look.
Nearest scooping pubs: Rutland (5 mins), Harlequin (10 mins), Banker's Draft (5 mins)
Last Updated: 13/12/2009 Gazza

Wellington (Cask & Cutler), 1 Henry Street, 0114 249 2295. 
Opening hours: From 12:00
Ownership: Free House, same ownership as Dragon in Worcester
Cask ales: Eight handpumps
House beer(s): The Little Ale Cart brewery out the back is now in full production, plus Millstone supply Baby Git and Old Git as semi-permanent house beers (rebadged Tiger Rut and True Grit)
Food: ?
Guest policy: Beers come from "approved" brewers such as Millstone, Pictish, Glentworth, Salamander, Foxfield, Mighty Oak, West Berks etc.
Mild/dark beer policy: One dark beer generally on sale.
Get there: In the so-called "Valley of beer", a cluster of cask pubs a mile or so North of the centre, luckily the tram stops right outside!
Public Transport: 20 metres from Shalesmoor tramstop (Yellow Route for Middlewood or the Blue Route for Malin Bridge)
Gen: Under Neil's reign the best scooping pub in the UK, now not as good although the beer range is solid and there's generally something interesting on. Most rare beers come on Thursday.
Nearest scooping pubs: Kelham Island Tavern (10 mins), Fat Cat (10 mins), Hillsborough Hotel (5 mins via tram)
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Bath Hotel, 66 Victoria Street.  Cracking little back-street local with a good beer range (six cask ales) and relaxed atmosphere.

• Banker's Draft Wetherspoons, 1-3 Market Place.  Huge building with a bar upstairs (often with different beers), a good start for a day's scooping as it opens at 10:00 for breakfast!

• Champs, 315-319 Ecclesall Road.  Co-owned by Fat Cat and Thornbridge (apparently) with 10 handpumps, this place has yet to be visited but sounds as if it may be decent... however, it's on the wrong side of town!

• Devonshire Cat, 49 Wellington Street.  Loud, brash student-infested place close to West St, this pub has a dozen or so pumps and loads of bottled beers from around the world from the safer end of the spectrum; in any other city this would get pride of place, but in Sheffield it merely gets a "Worth a Look".

• Gardener's Rest, 105 Neepsend Lane.  Riverside pub which finally re-opened after two years of closure following the floods.  Tap of Sheffield brewery and also has a host of guest beers on sale.

• George IV, 216 Infirmary Road, Langsett.  Worth a peek as it's very close (3 mins city-side) of the Hillsborough, this Wentworth pub has a colourful clientele!   ** CURRENTLY CLOSED AND UNLIKELY TO RE-OPEN **

• Milestone, 84 Green Lane.  Ideally placed for a pit-stop on the way from the KIT to the Welly, this posh pub has just 2 cask ales although it sometimes pulls out a rarity.

• Rutland, 86 Brown Street.  Recently re-opened with local guest beers on sale, up to seven cask ales in all.

• Sheaf View, 25 Gleadless Road, Heeley.  Right out on the other side of Sheffield and not on a tram route, this excellent pub often gets overlooked; if you have time and the inclination then it's well worth the trek out there. You may not get a scoop, but the 8 pumps dispense some delicious brews including regular Pictish specials.

• University Arms, 197 Brook Hill.  Thornbridge pub (what more incentive is required to visit?) which used to be a private club but is now a chilled-out and quiet place with guest ales and Thornbridge brews, only a few minutes from University tramstop and now even closer via the snazzy new illuminated steps!

Yorkshire (West)

Brighouse.

Richard Oastler (Wetherspoon), Bethel Street, Brighouse
Opening hours: Sun–Thu 09:00-00:00; Fri/Sat 09:00–01:00
Cask ales: Up to 10 beers on from the national range and local breweries (Saltaire, Elland etc)
House beer(s): Deuchars IPA, Pedigree etc.
Food: Normal Wetherspoons fare.
Guest policy: Usually carries 6+ guests from local Yorkshire breweries.
Mild/dark beer policy: Unsure
Get there: Richard Oastler is in the centre of town near the large Sainsburys store, located in an old methodist church.
Public Transport: Frequent buses from Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax. Railway Station is 5 mins walk away.
Gen: One of the better 'spoons locations, always offering a good selection of local ales well kept.
Nearest scooping pubs: Old Ship, Tipp Inn, Red Rooster
Last Updated: 17/12/2008 Richard Vogel

Tipp Inn (Atlas Mill), Atlas Mill Road, Brighouse. 01484 720 440
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 16:00-23:00, Fri & Sat 12:00–00:00, Sun 12:00-23:00
Cask ales: Normally up to 8 Atlas Mill beers on with occasional guests.  House beer(s): Atlas Mill
Food: Only on Thursdays for the quiz
Guest policy: Occasional guests from other local breweries.
Mild/dark beer policy: Their own Gwinness, Hercules and Dark Mild brews are normally on
Get there: Tipp Inn is located below the brewery. Directions and map can be found on the website.
Public Transport: Nearest station is Brighouse. Buses from Bradford or Huddersfield (X6,363,544)
Gen: This bar has a friendly basset hound called Meatloaf.
Nearest scooping pubs: Richard Oastler (Spoons), Old Ship Inn, Red Rooster, Barge & Barrel
Last Updated: 17/12/2008 Richard Vogel

Dewsbury.

Small town in the Woollen district with a few decent pubs and plenty of breweries around the area, probably the densest in the UK.

West Riding Refreshment Rooms (Dewsbury Station Buffet), Platform 2, Wellington Road, Dewsbury Station.  01924 459193
Opening hours: Mon 12:00-23:00, Tue-Thu 11:00-23:00, Thu-Fri 11:00-00:00, Sat 10:00-00:00, Sun 11:00-23:00
Cask ales: Excellent range of mainly Yorkshire beers, eight handpumps
House beer(s): Anglo-Dutch feature regularly, Black Sheep and Taylors permanent
Food: Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00 and some evenings too. Well regarded locally.
Guest policy: Yorkshire micro-brewers are the main brews sold
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: The pub is, like the nearby two at Huddersfield and one at Stalybridge, part of the station buildings. It's on the Manchester-bound platform (No.2) and can be accessed without going onto the platform itself.
Public Transport: Dewsbury BR (0 mins!)
Gen: Great boozer with some top beers going through the pumps, well worth a visit as part of the "Trans-pennine crawl" from Leeds to Manchester.
Nearest scooping pubs: Huddersfield (via train, 10 mins)
Last Updated: 31/10/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• The Cellar Bar, 51 Station Road, Batley.  Same ownership as Dewsbury Buffet with a similar cask ale agenda; 2 guest beers.

• Leggers, Saville Town Wharf, Mill Street East.  Ex-brewpub (Egyptian S&G!) which now serves up half a dozen decent local real ales.

Hebden Bridge.

Nice little town with plenty of old Woollen mills still standing and the Pennines all around.  Apparently, Hebden Bridge was named "4th quirkiest place in the world" by British Airways magazine in 2005...

Stubbing Wharf, (some PubCo),  King Street, HX7 6LU 0870 034 8443 
Opening Hours: From 12:00 daily
Cask ales: 6 ales on handpump.  House beer(s): Has Taylors beers on and some others.
Food:  Meals served lunch & evenings, good selection, reasonably priced & tasty.
Guest policy: From the pubco list, but they do try and get other beers in, occasional scoops.
Mild/dark beer policy:  No policy, it's a matter of luck if there's one on.
Get there:  Out of the station, through the park and along the canal bank in daylight.  Otherwise it's a walk straight down the main road for 20/25 mins and it's up on your left.
Public Transport: Hebden Bridge BR 20 mins, or you can get the 593 towards Todmorden on the main road or the Hebden Bridger as far as the turning circle and then walk on for about 5 mins.
Gen:  Nice pub, has open mike nights for local performers upstairs.  Cider festival in the summer, also has guest ciders on.
Nearest scooping pubs:  Fox & Goose, 5/10 mins, Moyles 15 mins, New Delight - Hebden Bridger bus ride away 15 mins
Last Updated: 29/01/09 Helen T

Huddersfield.  Map

Hilly Pennine town with a 1960's centre and some excellent pubs mainly out past the ring road with a famous choice of ales and plenty of small brewers nearby.  Best get in some cross-training before visiting, though...  I must admit to having a soft spot for all the main Huddersfield pubs and, in many ways, it's my favourite drinking town in the UK.

Grove (Free), 2 Spring Grove Street, 01484 430113
Opening hours: 12-11 (Midnight Fri & Sat)
Cask ales: 16 cask ales on sale at any time, see the website for up-to-date list!
House beer(s): Taylors Golden Best, Landlord, Empire Grove Grog, Thornbridge Jaipur (!!!), Fullers ESB (why?)
Food: Bar Snacks
Guest policy: Everchanging range from 10 handpumps
Mild/dark beer policy: One handpump serves a dark beer always be it Mild, Porter or stout
Get there: Out in the east of town, just past the Stalinist bus station.
Public Transport: Bus station 5 mins, Huddersfield BR (10 mins)
Gen: Good range of bottled beers from many countries.
Nearest scooping pubs: Rat & Ratchet (5 mins), King's Head (10 mins)
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Dave Hughes / Gazza

King's Head (Station Tavern, Free House), Huddersfield Station, St. Georges Square.  01484 511058.
Opening hours: All day
Cask ales: A dozen real ales.  House beer(s): Taylors
Food:
Guest policy: Very adventurous, plenty of new beers although you can be unlucky!
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually one available
Get there: At the opposite (Leeds) end of Huddersfield Station to the Head of Steam!
Public Transport: Huddersfield BR (0 mins!) although the door from the platform is sometimes closed.
Gen: Cracking Victorian pub, full of character(s), with a no-nonesense drinking theme. The station is grade 1 listed.  The door to the platform is usually locked throughout rush hours as a condition of National Rail to prevent "fare evasion", so if it is then you need to go outside the station and in through the front door!
Nearest scooping pubs: Grove (10 mins)
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza

Rat & Ratchet (Ossett), 40 Chapel Hill, Huddersfield Road, HD1 3EB.  01484 54240
Opening hours: Mon-Tue 15:00-00:00, Wed-Thu 12:00-00:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-01:00, Sun 12:00-23:00
Cask ales: 14 cask ales.  House beer(s): Ossett beers, at least 3, plus Fullers LP.
Food: Weekday lunchtimes and maybe Sunday
Guest policy: Mainly Yorkshire ales with some new ones.
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually Golcar Mild or Stout.
Get there: Head out of the centre, cross the busy ring road and the pub is on the right just as the hill begins to steepen.
Public Transport: The bus station is only 5 minutes away, Huddersfield BR (10 mins)
Gen: Famous old cask ale pub which used to brew it's own beer until it was sold to Ossett brewery. Situated on the steep hill leading south from the centre. Has a couple of festivals a year with 50+ beers.
Nearest scooping pubs: Star (10 mins), Grove (10 mins)
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Gazza

Star Inn (Free), 7 Albert Street, Folly Hall, HD1 3PJ.  01484 545443
Opening hours: Closed Mon, Tue-Fri 17:00-23:00, Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Ten cask ales available.  House beer(s): Taylors Best Bitter, Landlord and Pictish Brewer's Gold
Food:
Guest policy: Ever-changing range from 7 handpumps
Mild/dark beer policy: One handpump serves a dark beer always be it Mild, Porter or stout
Get there: This pub is out past the Rat & Ratchet on the way out of town (A616) down a very steep hill!
Public Transport: Buses 316 & 324 stop at Lockwood Road, Albert Street on the main A616.
Gen: Excellent pub which has probably the most interesting range on in town and holds regular beer festivals with loads of winners through an impressive bank of handpumps in the tent out back. Not to be missed.
Nearest scooping pubs: Grove (10 mins), Rat & Ratchet (5 mins)
Last Updated: 05/11/2008 Dave Hughes / Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Head of Steam, Huddersfield Station.  Not as interesting a range as in years gone by, but with eight or so ales to choose it's worth a look-in.

• Cherry Tree (Wetherspoons), Pearl Assurance House, 14-18 John Williams Street.  In a hideous 1960's building, this Wetherspoon makes a decent effort and stocks some good local Yorkshire beers.

Leeds.  Map  Report

Gritty, down-to-earth city which likes it's cask ale - a lot!  There are more pubs serving a range of beers in Leeds than most other UK cities and they get through plenty.  Reasonable prices (although some pubs have jacked them up recently) and a grim Northern countenance only makes it more enjoyable for a crawl.  If you need to stay, try the Accor complex by the Palace.

Grove, Back Row, Holbeck. 0113 243 9254.  Opening hours: Mon–Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00–22:30.
Ownership: Enterprise Inns?
Cask ales: Around 8 cask ales on handpump.  House beer(s):
Food: Unknown
Guest policy: Almost entirely from Yorkshire brewers with much Elland and Leeds.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Not as far out as it looks. Leave BR station, go down steps to Bishopsgate, turn right and walk under railway then continue until pub appears set back on your right.
Public Transport: First route 1 goes to outside the rail station from Victoria Rd.
Gen: Live music pub which also keeps a great range of mainly local brews on sale. Good "pubby" atmosphere and décor, highly recommended.
Nearest scooping pubs: Scarborough (10 mins), Palace (15 mins)
Last Updated: 24/10/2008 Gazza

Mr Foley's (ex Dr Okell's), (York Brewery).  159 The Headrow. 01904 621162. 
Opening hours: From 11:00 daily.
Cask ales: 12 Handpumps on bar.  House beer(s): Usually 4 York beers, one or two Leeds plus guests
Food: Think so!
Guest policy: Lots of Yorkshire beers plus some from further afield.
Mild/dark beer policy: One dark beer
Get there: Opposite Leeds city hall in an impressively ornate old building right in the centre of the city.
Public Transport: York BR (5 mins)
Gen: Was an Okells pub, now owned by York brewery, this large and impressive pub has a good choice of UK beers although the foreign beer list is disappointing.
Nearest scooping pubs: North Bar (10 mins), Victoria Hotel (5 mins)
Last Updated: 24/10/2008 Gazza

Palace, Kirkgate. 0113 244 5882.  Opening hours: From 12:00. 
Cask ales: Ten ales on usually on handpump.  House beer(s): Tetleys bitter & Roosters Yankee
Food: Large portions, quite cheap and personally recommended!
Guest policy: Beers are from mainly Yorkshire brewers although the odd foreigner does sneak in.
Mild/dark beer policy: Always a mild on sale, has a dedicated handpump
Get there: Out in the east of the city; from the station turn right and follow Boar Lane until you pass Duncan (Sam Smith). Bear left to the Corn Exchange (round building) then right and follow road past the Duck & Drake, under the railway bridge, and you'll see the pub just past the church on your right.
Public Transport: Leeds BR (10 mins), many buses pass by as it's on the inner ring road.
Gen: Ex-Melbourns house out in no-man's land past the old city gates. Makes a good start point for a crawl as the beer range is good, food fortifying and if you need a hotel there's a big ETAP/Accor complex very close by.
Nearest scooping pubs: Duck & Drake (3 mins), Scarfborough (10 mins)
Last Updated: 23/07/2010 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Cross Keys, 107 Water Lane, Holbeck.  Close to the Midnight Bell, this is a cosy little pub with five real ales which generally include some Elland.

• Duck & Drake, 43 Kirkgate.  Long-time scooping favouite, unchanged for years, this pub still has around a dozen real ales (up to 16) on sale although they're not as interesting as they used to be.  Recently closed but has re-opened again, reports please! 

• Fox & Newt, 9 Burley Road.  Recently re-commenced brewing (allegedly, the "Fox Brewing Co" beers are contract-brewed/rebadged from, apparently, Everards) and as such must be worth a look.  Nice old pub which has been modernised without losing all the original charm.

• Midnight Bell, 101 Water Lane, Holbeck.  The Leeds brewery's first pub, not far from the Grove, with all their beers on sale.

• North Bar, 24 New Briggate.  Cracking little bar, vaguely Belgian, with three cask ales plus an impressive range of foreign beers on tap and in bottle. Check the fridges as there are generally some guest bottles.

• Scarborough Hotel, Bishopsgate.  Busy, noisy yet welcoming pub below the station with four ales which change very quickly although they don't seem to be as scoopable these days.

• Victoria (Family & Commercial) Hotel, 28 Great George Street.  Looks more like a Scottish pub than many Scottish pubs! A riot of painted ceilings, compos and woodwork detract from the eight ales on sale of which several are generally from Acorn plus the rare Tetley Mild.  No longer a proper hotel, but has Pettit's sausages of Grimsby on the menu.

• Most Wetherspoons in Leeds make more of an effort than is usual, try the one on the station or Beckett's Bank on Park Row.

Sowerby Bridge.

Worth a Look :

• Jubilee, Sowerby bridge station.  This is yet another "Station buffet bar" serving real ales to the masses!

Wakefield.

Formerly known for a superb beer festival in the opulent town hall, Wakefield has a cracking brewpub which is now owned by Ossett with little decrease in quality.

Wales (North)

Cadole.

Colomendy Arms (Free), Village Rd, CH7 5LL.  01352 810217
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 19:00-23:00; Thu 18:00-23:00; Fri 16:00-23:00; Sat 14:00-23:00; Sun 14:00-22:30
Cask ales: Up to five cask beers available
Guest policy: Mainly Welsh beers
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Just off the main Mold to Ruthin road.
Public Transport: Bus 1A to Mold or Bus 6A to Mold and Chester
Gen: Apparently the best beer pub in NE Wales. Local CAMRA pub of the year.
Nearest scooping pubs: Chester
Last Updated: 15/11/2008 Dave Hughes

Ruabon (nr Wrexham).

Bridge End (Free), 5 Bridge Street, Clwyd, LL14 6DA.
Opening hours: From 17:00 daily, not open afternoon in week, open from 16:00 Friday.
Cask ales: Five or so cask ales.
House beer(s): McGivern beers if available.
Food: Full menu 12:00-14:45 and 18:00 -20:30 daily.
Guest policy: Local guest ales plus home-brewed McGivern beers.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Take the train to Ruabon station.
Public Transport: About 150 metres from entrance to Ruabon Station.  Exit Wrexham end of station and walk down the hill, turn left at the bottom and it is on the left, walking time 5 mins
Gen: Owned by the McGivern family, this pub has it's own beer (made at the owner's house but may move production to the pub shortly) but you need to be lucky as the brewlength is only 9 gallons!
Nearest scooping pubs: Chester
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza.

Wales (South)

Cardiff.  Map  Report

Cardiff is piss-poor for scoopers (although slowly improving) with local regional Brains controlling most of the pubs. They moved out of their city centre brewery a few years back, moving into the old Bass brewery behind the station, and the old site is now a ghetto for crap theme bars and restaurants.  The Glamorgan Staff Social club is sadly now closed meaning Wetherspoons is the only place you'll find a choice of beers in the centre although there's a new Zero Degrees and a few of the out-of-centre pubs are making more effort now.  This site is worth a look to see what's available.

Chapter Arts Centre (Free), Market Road, Canton.  Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00, Fri 12:00-00:30, Sat 12:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-22:30. 
Cask ales: Usually four real ales.  House beer(s): Often a Brains beer on sale.
Food: Very impressive meals and snacks from the kitchen across the hall.
Guest policy: UK (cask) : average, Germany (bottled) : good
Mild/dark beer policy: Usually some Dunkelweiss and Dunkelbier in bottle
Get there: Situated out in the West of Cardiff, it's a good 20-minute walk from the centre of town through the curry mile on Cowbridge Road.
Public Transport: Buses 17,18 & 31 stop around the corner, Cardiff BR (30 min walk), bus station (10 mins via bus)
Gen: A converted school, this isn't just a bar but a theatre, cinema and arts space which attracts all sorts of visitors. The bar is famous throughout Wales for it's range of German bottled beers from the fridge behind the bar, although annoyingly there's no list which makes peering into it a necessity. The real ale range is fairly pedestrian although winners do sometimes appear. Whilst walking past, also worth a Look is the Butcher's Arms at the end of Market Road which often has a guest beer and is a proper old Brains tied house.  Sadly, since the bar moved due to building works, it has lost it's character and become more like a school canteen!  Also, you can't see what is in the fridge like you used to be able to...
Nearest scooping pubs: Mochyn Du (15 mins)
Last Updated: 11/10/2009 Gazza

Mochyn Du (Free), Sophia Gardens, Pontcanna, CF11 9HW.  0292 0371599
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-01:30, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Up to seven cask beers on two banks of handpulls.
House beer(s): VoG Mochyn Du (appears in the free trade as something else but very rarely)
Food: Bar food served M-S 12:00-14:30 and 18:00-21:00 and Sun 12:00-15:00, 18:00-21:30
Guest policy: Getting better all the time
Mild/dark beer policy: Rarely a dark beer available
Get there: Easily walkable from the centre; go up St Mary's Street to the Castle, turn left and pass the Holiday Inn and over the river. Either walk through the park or take the next right, Cathedral Road, and then right into Sophia Gardens.
Public Transport: Lots of Cardiff buses pass along Cowbridge Road.
Gen: Ever-improving pub with lots of local micro beers (Otley, VoG, Rhymney etc) and a nice old building too; it was once the castle lodge.  Nominally Welsh-speaking, although this being South Wales this is very rare in my experience!  The name means Black Pig in Welsh.
Nearest scooping pubs: Chapter Arts Centre (10 mins)
Last Updated: 11/10/2009 Brian Francis / Gazza

Pen and Wig (M&B), 1 Park Grove, Cathays CF10 3BJ. 029 20371217
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-23:30
Cask ales: Five or Six cask beers
House beer(s): Brains Hancock's HB
Food: Wetherspoon-type food served until 22:00
Guest policy: Some half-decent stuff usually on.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Situated North of the centre in student land. Only a ten-minute walk from the Castle.
Public Transport: Cathays BR (5 mins), Queen St BR (8 mins), National Museum bus stop (2 mins)
Gen: Has been steadily improving over recent years and is now well worth a look. 
Nearest scooping pubs: Owain Glyndwr (10 mins)
Last Updated: 17/12/2008 Brian Francis / Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Gatekeeper Wetherspoons, 10 Westgate Street.  Large pub with two bars (one upstairs) with different beers, this one seems to make the most effort with regards to getting in more unusual stuff than is normal for the chain; there are 6 others in Cardiff!

• Owain Glyndwr, 10 St Johns Square.  Old pub (doesn't look it though) with a variable beer range although some scoops do appear.  Also check the ex-Hogshead next door which is part of the same pub now and sometimes has different beers on sale although quality can be poor.

• Zero Degrees, 27 Westgate Street.  New brewpub which, given the dearth of choice in Cardiff, is worth a peek.

Glan-y-Llan.

Head North out of Taff's Well (yes, it really is called that) and you'll find this cosy pub amongst the snaking terrace which seems to stretch from Barry all the way to Merthyr without a break.

Fagin's Ale House (Free), 8 Cardiff Road, Glan-y-Llan, Taff's Well. 0292 081 1800
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 11:00-23:00, Thu-Fri 11:00-00:00, Sat 12:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Cask ales: Six on handpump plus up to eight on gravity.  House beer(s): Otley O1
Food: Decent food served, sourced locally wherever possible, Tue-Sat 12:00-14:00 and 18:00-21:00. Sun 12:00-15:00
Guest policy: For the area, quite adventurous.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Situated halfway to Pontypridd in a small, snaking Valleys conurbation (the ones that follow roads for miles and change name regularly). Bus 132 passes outside and there's a BR station ten minutes' walk towards Cardiff (go over the railway bridge and keep going...).  By train, exit from the Valleys-bound platform, walk to the main road and turn right.  Keep going until you cross the railway and the pub is on your left just past the club.
Public Transport: Taff's Well BR (10 mins), Stagecoach bus 132 from Cardiff passes outside frequently.
Gen: Long-term cask ale pub which has varied in scoopability but has been a staunch real ale base camp for many years in a relatively ale-less area. Don't expect loads of winners but you may get a few.
Nearest scooping pubs: Otley Arms, Treforest (15 mins via train)
Last Updated: 11/10/2009 Gazza

Pontypridd.

Valleys town which is a lesson in what happens if you let Capitalism - and Thatcher - run riot over the need to provide work for communities; it's fucked.

Otley Arms (Free), Forest Road, Treforest, CF37 1SY.  01443 402033.
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 11:00-00:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-01:00, Sun 12:00-00:00
Cask ales: Up to eight real ales with some increasingly interesting guest beers.  House beer(s): Otley beers, brewed a mere two miles away.
Food: Bar snacks available, lunchtimes (7 days) and evenings in the week.
Guest policy: For the area very enlightened, a long-time cask stalwart in the Valleys
Mild/dark beer policy: Not always available
Get there: Treforest is a notionally separate village south of Pontypridd although the two are physically joined by typically snaking lines of Valleys terraces. It has it's own rail station.
Public Transport: Treforest BR (2 mins).  Cross the footbridge to the Cardiff-bound platform, walk down the slope, turn right out of the gate and follow the road to the junction and the pub is on your left.
Gen: Long-time cask pub, an oasis in the arid cask desert of the Valleys, which now has it's own brewery in a local industrial estate (the same one Reckless Eric used to be in!). It's generally full of students from the local university of Glamorgan (ex Poly of Wales).
Nearest scooping pubs: Bunch of Grapes (15 mins) although it’s a tortuous route and you need a good map! The other Otley pub, the Rickards Arms, is the opposite way from the station (left out of the exit from Cardiff-bound platform) and only 20 metres away.
Last Updated: 25/07/2009 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Bunch of Grapes, Ynysangharad Road, Pontypridd.  Another branch of the Otley empire, this hard-to-find pub is more food oriented although still has a decent beer range with some interesting guests alongside the house Otley brews.

Scotland

Scotland isn't known for it's beer and although, admittedly, it's not as fruitful a place to drink cask ale as England, there are lots of micros around and the scene is growing.  Edinburgh is probably the best city for beer although Glasgow runs it close and even the far-flung places such as Inverness and Aberdeen can stand their ground.  Whisky, however, shouldn't be ignored and a scooping list must be started upon arrival!

Aberdeen.

When it's raining you can see why the suicide rate is so high... everything is grey from the road via the granite buildings to the leaden sky.  Still, it's a good place for a beery wander and there are some cracking pubs in town, although not a lot of prospect of scoops it must be said with the Prince of Wales probably the best bet.

Worth a Look :

• Archibald Simpson , 5 Castle Street.  Wetherspoons in an old bank which has a decent beer range.

• Moorings, Trinity Quay.  Unusual quayside bar with a biking clientele and a few cask ales which can throw up some unusual stuff including Brewdog beers.

• Old Blackfriars, Castlegate.  Used to be the best beer list in town although I'm not sure now!

• Prince of Wales, St Nicholas' Lane.  Massively long bar in this proper old town pub with some local beers on sale.

• Under the Hammer, 11 North Silver Street.  Nice little cellar bar which has three ales, worth a peek.

Edinburgh.  Map, Report

Scotland's capital city is a stunning place with the two distinct halves - the windswept, high tenements of the Newtown and winding, cobbled Oldtown - creating a magical mishmash of styles.  Then there's Leith, recently reinvigorated from decline, plus plenty of other places within easy reach.  It may not have the earthiness of Glasgow but it's just as good... in a different way.

Starbank (Greene King, Belhaven), 64 Laverockbank Road, Newhaven
Opening hours: All day
Cask ales: Four or so guest beers, four Belhaven ales
House beer(s): Belhaven
Food: Pint of Mussels are a speciality!
Guest policy: Reasonably interesting guest beers, not always Scottish
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Alongside the Firth of Forth at Newhaven, the easiest way to get there is a bus from Leith.
Public Transport: Edinburgh buses 16 and 32 buses pass by outside or Nos 7 and 10 go from the roundabout to the right.
Gen: Marvellous old waterside pub is now owned by Greene King following their takeover of Belhaven but, so far at least, seems to be showing no signs of decline in beer range.
Nearest scooping pubs: Old Chain Pier (1 min), Leith.
Last Updated: 26/12/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Abbotsford, 3 Rose Street, New Town. Yet another pub with a delicious interior dripping with character, this pub also has a central bar dispensing up to six ales on air founts. You may get a scoop, you may not, but there's usually good beer in here.

• Blue Blazer, 2 Spittal Street, Grassmarket.  Cracking building with various rooms adorned with mirrors and the like. Around 6 beers of the Scottish micro variety.

• Cumberland Bar, 1-3 Cumberland Street, New Town. Gorgeous building in the basement of a traditional Newtown tenemant, this bar serves 6 to 8 cask ales via handpump or air engine with 4 being guests.

• Filmhouse Bar, 88 Lothian Road.  Five real ales on tap in this bizarre cinema bar… honestly!!

• Golden Rule, 30 Yeaman Place.  Out by the occasionally brewing McCowan's, this bar is all high ceilings, plenty of beers and toasties!

• Kay's Bar, 39 Jamaica Street, New Town.  Classic wine merchant's house, half a dozen cask ales sometimes turn up a new Scottish brew.

• Malt & Hops, 45 Shore, Leith.  Stalwart cask ale bar on the waterside in Leith, and although the beer range isn't as interesting as it was it's still well worth a visit.

• Milne's, 21 Rose Street, New Town.  Worth a peek if you're passing, but don't make a special trip!

• Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent, Newhaven.  Almost opposite the Starbank, this converted ticket office of the ferry serves five or so real ales.

• Standing Order, 62-66 George Street.  A huge, sprawling Wetherspoons with a decent Scottish guest beer range.

Fort William.

A town way out in the far west which still has a direct rail service to London... although not with quality traction these days, sadly.  Ben Nevis is a mere few miles away.

Grog & Gruel (Free), 66 High Street, PH33 6AE. 01397 705078
Opening hours: M-W 12:00-23:30, T-S 12:00-00:30, Sun 12:30-23:30, Winter Sundays 17:00-23:30
Cask ales: Up to eight mainly Scottish real ales
Food: Upstairs restaurant (from 17:00), bar meals also served 12:00-21:00
Guest policy: Mainly Scottish micros, many hundreds have been through the pumps
Get there: On Fort Bill's pedestrianised High street.
Public Transport: Fort William BR (3 mins)
Gen: One of the best beer pubs in the Highlands, this pub opened relatively recently but has quickly become a mecca for cask ale lovers. Around 60 single malts also available.
Nearest scooping pubs: Clachaig Inn, Glencoe
Last Updated: 28/12/2008 Louise & Craig Whitwell

Fortrose.

Village up on the Black Isle, north of Inverness.

Anderson (Free), Union Street, IV10 8TD. 01381 620 236
Opening hours:
Cask ales: A good range from gravity in the cellar.
Food: Each evening from 18:00 and Sunday 13:00-15:00. Local food.
Guest policy: Not just Scottish beers, they literally could have anything!
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: On the A832 heading North from Inverness, around 10 miles out of town.
Public Transport: Stagecoach 26 or 26A (Cromarty) every half-hour from Inverness.
Gen: Also has 9 bedrooms and a 200+ single malt whisky bar… an all-round top place!
Nearest scooping pubs: Inverness
Last Updated: 27/12/2008 Louise & Craig Whitwell

Glasgow.  Map  Report

It has a reputation as a grim, hard city but there's now a more attractive side to it with the redbrick architecture of the Merchant City and easy to navigate little underground.  There's a lot to see in Glasgow, just watch out for the neds...   If you need to stay, this place is cheap and decent plus it's right in the centre.

Blackfriars (Free).  36 Bell Street, Merchant City.
Opening hours:
Ownership: Free House
Cask ales: Six available.  House beer(s): Courage Directors (!)
Food: Meals available
Guest policy: Not sure now Tom has moved to London, but was increasingly adventurous in trying new Scottish Micros and their beers.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: In the Merchant City, SE of the centre, this pub is close to George Square and the centre.
Public Transport: Underground, St Enoch (10 mins), BR Argyle St (5 mins)
Gen: Excellent little bar in the lively Merchant City which serves up a good range of beers, some on air pressure.
Nearest scooping pubs: Babbity Bowster (5 mins), Peckhams Delicatessen (5 mins)
Last Updated: 22/10/2008 Gazza

Bon Accord (unknown owners).  53 North St, Charing Cross. 0141 248 4427.  Opening hours: M-S 11:00-00:00, Sun 12:30-23:00.  
Cask ales: Usually 10 beers on cask including some rare ones for Scotland; Roosters seem to feature regularly.
House beer(s): Caley IPA, usually a Kelburn beer available.
Food: Meals available.
Guest policy: Nothing life-changing but a reasonable choice depending on your luck; some weeks are much better than others!
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Alongside the M8 next to the Mitchell Library (big pompous stone thing).
Public Transport: BR to Charing Cross (2 mins), underground to St George's Cross (10 mins)
Gen: Has been a favourite of real ale drinkers in the capital for years and now seems to be regaining some of it's former glory with an improved beer range; well worth a look.
Nearest scooping pubs: State Bar (10 mins)
Last Updated: 22/10/2008 Gazza

Clockwork Beer Company (Free).  1153-1155 Cathcart Road, Mount Florida. 
Opening hours: From 11:00 daily ?
Cask ales: Usually six of their own and six guest beers, all served on air founts.
House beer(s): Home-brewed ales including Gösh (Glasgow Kölsch…!), fruit beers plus various others.
Food: Fairly priced and well worth a go.
Guest policy: Varies, but I've found some interesting beers in here over the years and the house brewed ales can also be very good.
Get there: Out in the suburbs, close to Queen's Park football ground, this brewpub is nevertheless easy to reach and well worth the trip.
Public Transport: Get a „Cathcart circle“ or Neilston train from Central station (every 10 minutes) and alight at Mount Florida. Go up the stairs onto the footbridge (the one at the end the train is travelling towards), turn right, then left at the end of the bridge then down the path to the main road, Battlefield road. Turn left, go under the rail bridge past the car showroom and blocks of flats, then turn right by the church at the traffic lights into Cathcart road. Keep on towards the railway bridge and you’ll see Clockwork almost underneath it on the other side of the road after about 50 metres
Gen: Glasgow's only brewpub which makes some interesting beers (and some less than pleasant ones!) plus also has a good range of guest beers and cheap, tasty food. Well worth the quick trip out from the centre.
Nearest scooping pubs: None
Last Updated: 22/10/2008 Gazza

Three Judges (Free).  141 Dumbarton Rd, Partick Cross.  0141 337 3055.
Ownership: Maclays (remember them?), although acts like a free house
Cask ales: 12 or so beers on electric pumps operated by handpulls.  House beer(s):
Food: Bar snacks
Guest policy: A good range of beers from all over the UK, mainly micro breweries.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Situated out in the west of the city - about 2 miles out - in a decent enclave for cask ales.
Public Transport: Underground to Kelvinhall (2 mins), BR Partick (10 mins), many buses also pass by.
Gen: Large street-corner pub which has long been a bastion of good beer and wide choice in the city. Worth the trip out as part of the Byres Road crawl (best to finish here as it's all downhill)
Nearest scooping pubs: Tennent's Bar (10 mins uphill!)
Last Updated: 22/10/2008 Gazza

Worth a Look :

• Babbity Bowster, 16 Blackfriars Street.  Only worth a look if you've time, this strange place serves a couple of guest beers which can, on occasion, be something interesting.

• Peckhams Delicatessen, 61 Glassford St, Merchant City.  Close to Blackfriars, this great deli has a cellar full of wine and beer including some interesting Foreign choices.

• Pot Still, 154 Hope Street, City Centre.  Whisky central! This pub has well over 300 drams by the glass, ideal for the whisky scoopers, but also keeps 3-5 cask ales which are generally Scottish and micro.

• State Bar, 148-148a Holland Street.  Classic Glasgow centre-bar pub with glorious interior, plus it serves up a decent range of beer too, generally Scottish micros.

• Tennents Bar, 191 Byres Rd, Kelvinbridge.  Well-known cask ale house that serves up a wide range of beers although most are permanent and not guests. Only five mins from Three Judges.

• West Brewing Company, Binnie Place, off London Road, Bridgeton.  Brewpub out in the East which makes German-style lagers. A bit of a dead-end trek, but if you need the beers…
   

Glencoe.

Close to Ben Nevis and a magnet for outdoor activity types.

Clachaig Inn (Free), Old Village Road, PH49 4HX. 01855 811252
Opening hours: 11:00-23:00 daily, may stay open later.
Cask ales: Up to eight cask ales, mainly Scottish micros
Food: All day and mainly local food.
Guest policy: Scottish micros predominate.
Get there: Situated 10 miles south of Fort William, linked by bus.
Public Transport: Hourly bus 44 (Stagecoach) to Fort William bus station.
Gen: Has 23 rooms to let. Same ownership as the Grog & Gruel with a similarly good whisky list.
Nearest scooping pubs: Grog & Gruel, Fort Bill
Last Updated: 28/12/2008 Louise & Craig Whitwell

Inverness.

Surprisingly attractive town out in the far North with a smattering of good pubs and it used to have some decent locos, too...  The famous Clachnaharry is now Greede Kerching, so no need to trek out there...

King's Highway (Wetherspoon), 72–74 Church Street, IV1 1EN. 01463 251800
Opening hours: Sun–Wed 07:00–22:45; Thu–Sat until 01:00
Cask ales: Good range for the area
House beer(s): Usual McSpoons dross
Food: See above
Guest policy: For the area, quite adventurous
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: Right in the centre of town near the station.
Public Transport: Inverness BR (3 mins)
Gen: Also a Wetherlodge.
Nearest scooping pubs: Castle Tavern (10 mins)
Last Updated: 27/12/2008 Louise & Craig Whitwell

Worth a Look :

• Blackfriars, 93-95 Academy Street.  Quite a few guest beers on the bar here, Black Isle fairly regularly.

• Castle Tavern, 1 View Place.  Same ownership as the Clachnaharry, worth a look.  Follow the B861 south from the centre towards Haugh.

• Phoenix, 108 Academy Street.  Old favourite of the "tractor bashers", this traditional pub has a "proper" Island bar although it's reportedly a shadow of it's former self beer-wise, sadly.

Perth.

Busy town, the "gateway to the Highlands", and quite an attractive place.

Greyfriars (Free),  15 South Street, PH2 8PG. 01738 633036
Cask ales: Best range in town, worth a look.
Food: Mon-Sat 11:45 - 14:30 and Evenings.
Get there: Just off the pedestrianised area, across town from the rail station.
Public Transport: Perth BR (10 mins)
Gen: Small bar with a decent ale and whisky range.
Nearest scooping pubs: Edinburgh
Last Updated: 27/12/2008 Louise & Craig Whitwell

Worth a Look :

• Perthshire Visitor Centre, Bankfoot.  Plenty of Scottish micro beers plus a good whisky range.

Pitlochry.

Just North of Perth in a beautiful landscape, this quiet little place has a great offie.

Robertsons of Pitlochry (Free), 46 Atholl Road, PH16 5BX. 01796 472011
Opening hours: M-S 08:30-19:00, Sun 12:30-16:30
Food: Lots of great deli food
Get there: On the main street and easy to find. Trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Public Transport: Pitlochry (BR), 5 mins
Gen: Huge choice of whisky plus bottled Moulin, Mull, Cairngorm, Orkney, Hebridean, Islay, Inveralmond beers and more.
Nearest scooping pubs: Perth, Inverness
Last Updated: 28/12/2008 Louise & Craig Whitwell

Stonehaven.

Pretty fishing village just down the coast from Aberdeen with it's own station.

Worth a Look :

• Marine Hotel, 9-10 Shore Head, Stonehaven.  Just down the coast and has a good reputation for it's food and beer plus it overlooks the harbour.

Other bits of the UK

Isle of Man  Map Report

Island stuck out in the Irish sea and a strange mix of Nordic and UK cultures.  The beer resurgence seems to have passed it by (although there are recurring rumours of a new brewpub in Douglas) but, if you're there, there are some decent pubs and the Island's own beer isn't bad either.  The Airport must be the only one in the world served by steam train!  The Bushy's brewery is now at Santon having moved out of their Douglas brewpub a good while back.

Castletown.

Home of one of the original IoM brewers taken over and closed by Okells in the 1990's.

Worth a Look :

• Sidings, Station Road.  Basic pub with some decent guest beers from the mainland - well worth a look.  The best beer range on the Island by a fair margin and your best bet for some scoops.

Douglas.

The island's capital and from where you can get to anywhere on the Island (with luck).  Not the most attractive place, but it's the nearest the island has to a metropolis!

Worth a Look :

• Rover's Return, Church Street.  Bushy's pub with all their ales plus guests, the second best beer range on the Island!

Laxey.

Attractive village served by the tram (is it's running...) with the Island's only brewpub.

Worth a Look :

• Queen's Hotel, New Road.  TT pub with Bushy's beers and the occasional guest.

• Shore Hotel, Shore Road, Old Laxey.  The island's only brewpub and, beware, it's not in Laxey itself but down by the coast although fairly near to the tram line up a precipitous hill.

Peel.

Peel is on the NW-facing coast of the Island and seems to have the best pubs beer-wise; the rail line is long gone (although rails can still be seen in the road by the old station) so you'll need to get a bus up here.  A nice place with this one stand-out pub.

Worth a Look :

• Creek, .  By the old station and harbour with some guest beers from the mainland - well worth a look.

• White House, 2 Tynwald Road.  Old, low-slung roadside pub with a good beer range for the island (9 handpumps!) although probably nothing too exciting...

Port Erin.

Village out in the far west at the end of the little "kettle line".

Worth a Look :

• Bay Hotel, Shore Road.  Just off the beach, this bar has guest beers and comes recommended by those who've visited recently.

• Falcon's Nest Hotel, Station Road .  Hotel overlooking the bay with Okellls and Bushys plus geusts.

Channel Islands

St Helier (Jersey).

Jersey is a step back in time to the 1970's although not in a good way (think lino), but if you're stuck there then this pub is probably your best bet for interesting beer and has the best range on any of the islands by a fair margin.

Worth a Look :

• Lamplighter, 9 Mulcaster Street.  The best real ale pub on any of the Channel Islands, this top little pub, very close to the Weighbridge bus station, has six to eight cask ales on at any time with Skinners of Cornwall being regulars as well as Ringwood.  If this was anywhere else in the UK you'd not bother but here it's Mecca.

Brading (Isle of Wight).

Yarbridge Inn (Free), Yarbridge Crossroads, PO36 0AA.  01983 406212.  *** CURRENTLY CLOSED ***
Opening hours: Unknown, although it sounds like they close from 15:00-18:00.
Cask ales: Six changing ales with an emphasis on unusual and far-away beers.
House beer(s): None
Food: Full menu 12:00-14:45 and 18:00 -20:30 daily.
Guest policy: For the area, very enlightened!
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: About half a mile south of Brading on the A3055 Main road.
Public Transport: Brading BR (15 mins), Wightbus 2,3,10 or T3 stop outside.
Gen: Beer fest last weekend in May.
Nearest scooping pubs: None for a long way - try the mainland!
Last Updated: 28/03/2009 Gazza.

Eire

The beer scene in Eire isn't great, that much is true, but it's finally showing signs of improvement with some new micros coming on stream and cask ale making a very limited comeback, mainly in Dublin.  Sadly there have been casualties along the way - Biddy Early springs to mind - but I feel that the beer scene is better now than it's been for years and, hopefully, can only get better.

Cork.  Report  Map 

The "Rebel City" of the South with a brewpub and one superb bar, although if you're not 100% scoop-obsessed there are loads of other great bars in town.  The Beamish brewery in the centre is due to close in 2010 with production concentrated at the monstrously industrial Murphy's plant north of the river.

/ Abbot's Alehouse (Free), 17 Devonshire Street.
Opening hours: Don't think it's open in the afternoons.
Cask ales: None.
House beer(s): None
Food:
Guest policy: Beers from Irish micros and plenty of bottles from all over the world in the shop.
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there: North of the river and easy to overlook.
Public Transport:  Parnell St Bus Station (12 mins)
Gen: Great bottle shop with a wide range of beer from all over although short on Irish micros.  The bar is upstairs, apparently, with some Irish micros on tap.
Nearest scooping pubs: Bierhaus (5 mins)
Last Updated: 16/08/2009 Gazza.

Bierhaus (Free), 28 Pope's Quay.
Opening hours: All day (I think).
Cask ales: None.
House beer(s): Lots of Foreign beers plus Galway Hooker and other Irish craft beers.
Food: Unknown.
Guest policy: At least one Irish craft beer on tap.
Mild/dark beer policy: Carlow Stout usually available.
Get there: A few minutes from Franciscan Well right on the riverside.
Public Transport: Parnell St Bus Station (15 mins)
Gen: Great little bar with the best range of beer in town.  Don't miss the Galway Hooker on tap.
Nearest scooping pubs: Franciscan Well (5 mins)
Last Updated: 16/08/2009 Gazza.

Franciscan Well (Free), 14 North Mall.
Opening hours: From 16:00 daily.
Cask ales: None.
House beer(s): Brewed on-site out the back.
Food: Yes.
Guest policy: No guests
Mild/dark beer policy: Shandon Stout on tap.
Get there: Just along the river from the Bierhaus.
Public Transport: Parnell St Bus Station (15 mins).
Gen: Established in 1998, this brewpub serves up decent beer which is steadily becoming available in more pubs around Cork.
Nearest scooping pubs: Bierhaus (5 mins)
Last Updated: 16/08/2009 Gazza.

Dublin.  Reports Map

Expensive, dirty, polluted, rain-sodden, seething with traffic... yes, all these things are true (in my opinion, obviously!) but it seems as if Dublin is finally waking up to the craft beer scene.  Porterhouse's original brewpub no longer brews on-site due to demand and they have set up a much larger brewery in the suburbs (Unit 6D, Rosemount Park Road, Ballycoolin) to supply the growing number of pubs around town (and in London!).  To get around the city walking is the obvious option although the Luas tramway and DART suburban railway can get you to some of the outlying places and the city's bus system is pretty decent too.

Here is an up-to-date list of all Irish breweries and contract companies.

Bull & Castle (Free), 5-7 Lord Edward Street, Christchurch.  01 475 1122.
Opening hours: Unknown.
Cask ales: Generally one Irish cask ale, normally from Carlow.
House beer(s): Galway Hooker in tap, Franciscan well is also regular as well as Carlow beers.
Food: Full menu 12:00-14:45 and 18:00 -20:30 daily.
Guest policy: Irish beers on tap.
Mild/dark beer policy: Carlow Stout.
Get there: Just opposite Christ Church Cathedral in the centre of the city.
Public Transport: Luas (red line) Four Courts (10 mins).
Gen: Apparently Dublin's best bar for craft beer with around ten on tap.   Make sure you look in the restaurant and the upstairs beer bar as different beers may be available in each.
Nearest scooping pubs:  Porterhouse Temple bar (5 mins)
Last Updated: 16/08/2009 Gazza.

Messrs. Maguire (Free), 2 Burgh Quay.
Opening hours: All Day.
Cask ales: They used to have a handpull although I think it's been removed now.
House beer(s): All Maguires beers are brewed on-site and all unpasteurised.
Food: Full menu daily.
Guest policy: No guest beers.
Mild/dark beer policy: Always two stouts on sale.  
Get there: Just off Aston Quay (!) and a short walk from Tara Street rail station overlooking O'Connell bridge.
Public Transport: Tara Street 5 mins (IE and Dart), Abbey St (Red) Luas stop 5 mins over O'Connell bridge.
Gen: One of the city's two brewpubs started in the 1990's, Maguire has plant installed by Dobbin and turns out some impressive brews - particularly the stouts - all unpasteurised and served with gas pressure.
Nearest scooping pubs: Porterhouse Central (5 mins), Palace (5 mins), Porterhouse Temple Bar (10 mins), Bull & Castle (15 mins)
Last Updated: 16/08/2009 Gazza.

Palace Bar (Free), 21 Fleet Street.
Opening hours: All day.
Cask ales: None.
House beer(s): Usual multinational stouts plus Galway Hooker on tap.
Food: Unknown.
Guest policy: Galway Hooker permanently on sale.
Mild/dark beer policy: Multinational stouts.
Get there: Right at the beginning of Temple Bar if coming from the Irish Parliament.
Public Transport:  Abbey St (Red) Luas stop 7 mins over O'Connell bridge.
Gen: Beautiful old Dublin boozer with a classic unspoilt interior, now visitable again thanks to Galway Hooker!
Nearest scooping pubs: Messrs Maguire (5 mins), Porterhouse Temple Bar (5 mins)
Last Updated: 16/08/2009 Gazza.

Porterhouse Temple Bar (Porterhouse), 16-18 Parliament Street, corner of Essex Street.
Opening hours: All day.
Cask ales: Usually has TSB on cask.  All of their beers on tap are unpasteurised.
House beer(s): Porterhouse full range.
Food: Full menu all day I think.
Guest policy: Plenty of guest bottles from around the world plus, usually, a guest Irish beer on tap such as Galway Hooker.
Mild/dark beer policy: Three stouts on offer, probably the best in Ireland.
Get there: At the far western end of Temple Bar and easy to find.
Public Transport: 
Gen: Used to be a brewpub, opened in 1999, but the brewery has now moved out to the suburbs to allow more people in!  Still the same bustling, beery place it always was.
Nearest scooping pubs: Palace (5 mins), Messrs Maguire (10 mins), Bull & Castle (5 mins)
Last Updated: 16/08/2009 Gazza.

Redmonds Off License (Free), 25 Ranelagh Road.
Opening hours: Unknown.
Cask ales: None.
House beer(s): None
Guest policy: Bottled beers from Ireland, the UK and America mainly. 
Get there: Luas to (green line) to Ranelagh; you'll see Ranelagh Rd passing under the line, follow it north and the shop is 100m along here.
Public Transport: Luas to (green line) to Ranelagh or Charlemont.
Gen: Apparently Dublin's best offie.
Nearest scooping pubs: Porterhouse Central (15 mins via Luas).
Last Updated: 16/08/2009 Gazza.

Worth a Look :

• TramCo hotel and brewery, 121 Rathmines Road.  Out in the south and not a brewery at all, although it does have craft beers supplied by "Barrelhead brewery" of Dublin which actually come from White Gypsy of Templemore.

• Porterhouse Bray.  Seafront hotel and bar serving the superb Porterhouse beers.  Bray is an old Victorian resort and easily reached from Dublin via the DART trains.

• Porterhouse Glasnevin.  Out in the suburbs, one for completists!

a (Free), .
Opening hours: .
Cask ales: .
House beer(s):
Food: Full menu 12:00-14:45 and 18:00 -20:30 daily.
Guest policy:
Mild/dark beer policy:
Get there:
Public Transport:
Gen:
Nearest scooping pubs:
Last Updated: 16/08/2009 Gazza.