The Old Harkers Arms, Chester

Have made many visits to this pub over the years it's been open (20+ now?). It was Brunning and Price's first pub and it's probably one of the more directly 'pubby' pubs, the others more like restaurants really.
Clientele is a mix of rugger-buggers, besuited staffers from nearby financial offices (though since the financial meltdown there are less of these now) and real-ale enthusiasts, together with a healthy dose of ordinary drinkers. I'm sounding uncomplimentary, it is actually a good place, well run and has one of the most outstanding bar-staff hiring policies in Chester (#letch). Food is usually good though quite expensive. One of the big downsides of the place is that most of the tables are given over to eating, meaning when it gets busy the place gets a bit stifling with standing drinkers. However, it's one of those places that tails off sharply after about 9-10pm, all the eaters having gone, the after-work crowd dispersing and other people moving on to different bars. It can then be quite relaxing to just sit and drink.

30 Aug 2013 15:26

The Beehive, Chester

This pub has been closed for a couple of years now, it's now a Richer Sounds shop.
In its day it fluctuated between interesting biker pub prone to violent, chair-swinging brawls, or a quiet local, depending on the time of day. Not a great loss.

30 Aug 2013 15:16

The Red Lion, Handbridge

Stopped here for lunch one weekday in April (I think, snow was still on the ground anyway). It was quiet but we decided to eat. Had very recently been taken over by a new team. Very pleasant staff and a menu with good, interesting home cooked food. Had an ale of some sort, was good though I'm not really an expert on real ale. It is now picking up some good reviews on TripAdvisor and I'm not surprised.

30 Aug 2013 15:13