The Fat Cat, Norwich

The best pub I have ever been in! I try to visit at least once a year. Others (Watermill Inn, Ings and Wellington, Brum) come close, but this one does it for me. Keep up the amazing work.

20 Jun 2007 13:42

The Three Stags Heads, Wardlow Mires

I should first say that me and my friends were really looking forward to visiting this pub (1st July), given that it is so favourably regarded in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide (we are all CAMRA members), especially the range of Abbeydale beers on tap.

We used it as a rendezvous at around 1:30, had a passable pint of Matins, and moved off to the camp site to put our tents up.

Now, this was the day of England's ill-fated quarter-final clash with Portugal, and having previously established that we wouldn't be welcome to talk about football, let alone be able to watch the match, we made alternative arrangements (Queen Anne Inn, Great Hucklow: top pub). I should explain at this point (so that the reader can gain a balanced appreciation of the scenario) that our return to the Three Stags' Heads after the match, saw our party in Lord Of The Rings-related attire. It's an annual thing that us lads do, and it's fair to say that our mixed experience of this establishment there-after was affected by the landlord's reaction to our appearance.

All seemed to be well when we entered the pub. The landlord compared his dog-headed stave to our simpler ones and served us our dinks in measured, if rather terse, humour. We were quite lively, passing the Horn Of Gondor around (in the side room) amongst ourselves and with fellow punters, all in good-natured companionship. The landlord even brought his (very impressive) ram's horn through for one of the punters (not us hobbits) to have a go on. How could the mood be better? The beer was excellent, especially the Black Lurcher (a respectful half pint).

Things, however, took a rather unpleasant turn when two of our party attempted to buy drinks, later on. Two of our party attempted to emulate the custom of some of the other imbibers by buying a pint at around 11:30. The landlord was behind the bar. He started to complain that we�d spent all afternoon drinking elsewhere, and only resorted to drinking in his establishment having spent large amounts of cash at other pubs. At first, it was not apparent to the two of our party that he was referring to us, so contrasting was it to our experience there-to. �Are you talking about us?� one of our party enquired. He confirmed that he was. We explained that we couldn�t have drunk in his pub for the whole afternoon because we wanted to watch the football. Red rag to a bull. �EXACTLY!� launched he. We had apparently not earned the right to put good money behind his bar. �Are you going to serve us?� He did, grudgingly, and with much unpleasant muttering. Thus was the tone of our final half an hour spoiled. We did our best to try and be polite upon exiting the pub at around mid-night, but the landlord could not resist telling us, �You want to try and get a life!�

The change in his character from joining in with us, to rude hostility, cast a very unwelcome and lingering gloom over the whole weekend�s walking. What his real problem was, I don�t know. I would caution anyone who wishes to drink at the Three Stags� Heads that they should be quiet as church mice and only occasionally clear their throats; drinkers of a characterful and eccentric persuasion are not welcome there.

Ratings:-

Beer - 8 (Matins was passable, only)
Pub - 2 (Landlord, "Get a life" yourself!)

3 Oct 2006 15:14