Ye Old Elm Tree, Durham

Best pub in Durham: staff excellent, food solid pub stuff, 4 handpulls which rotate rapidly (usually 1-2 from the Marstons range and 2-3 local ones) and an atmosphere which reminds you why pubs are so much better than drinking at home: peace if you just want to sit back and read your paper but regulars happy to chat if not.

The landlord is also a good bloke who supports local charities with various fundraisers from time to time and is not afraid to put his own hand in his pocket to do so.

10 Sep 2015 12:04

The Park Tavern, Finsbury Park

No real ale, but otherwise a very good community pub that seems to still run darts/football teams - an increasing rarity in London. Looks so-so from the outside but a comfortable, traditional local inside. Staff and locals friendly enough on my last flying visit and the Guinness is both good and quite cheap for the area. Enjoy this type of pub while they still exist.

24 Feb 2011 01:15

The Burton Arms Hotel, Manchester

Rough-and-ready locals pub set on a busy main road that also does clean, cheap accommodation. Currently under Marbury Taverns (I believe ex-Punch) this is primarily a pub that serves a regular clientele with fairly cheap lager, keg bitter and Guinness, though it has recently added a couple of handpulls to the bar, serving both very good Holt's bitter and a rotating guest from the likes of Lees and Thwaites. The breakfast is nothing too special, being a decent-sized but low quality fry-up, but the pub, if you take it at face value as a lively inner-city local, is actually not bad (be warned: it gets packed on pool league nights).

11 Nov 2010 11:18