retiredmartin

I added a photo to my post on Chichester, seeking your views on faults in an unnamed rural pub.  I enjoyed the responses on Twitter and the blog.

First things first.  The East Dean Ale & Cider House is beautifully situated in some of the best walking country in the south, and is a hardworking place that seems to be making an effort to attract folk, including Goodwood visitors wanting 2000 calories for breakfast.

The beer from Downlands was more than OK (NBSS 3). The pub also gets credit for a large board listing beers and the sort of information I always ignore (ABV, taste, price).

So my reflections are more on modern-day pub behaviour than the pub itself.

1. Barflys – folk standing at the bar obstructing your access, and view of the product.
2. Standers – similarly, folk just standing around with drinks in hand, as if it were a cocktail party (I saw one on the IT crowd once), with seats unused.  You can’t even read that helpful beer board.
3. Horrific tall, floral chairs at the bar – what can I say ?
4. Far too many real ales, particularly since everyone in that photo wasn’t drinking the eponymous ales and ciders. I saw Fosters and Leffe ordered while I was there.
5. Lack of a carpet.

There might even have been posing tables, there normally are.

I refer you to Pub Curmudgeon’s recent post on how to, and how not to do it.

Here a Manchester pub I passed on Thursday were you probably won’t find barflies, though it’s a while since I found time to visit.  Same with Hare & Hounds next door. As someone said (well, shouted) at the CAMRA meeting this week, central Manchester has an embarrassment of riches.