I was tempted to give the Plough the nod as a Top 100 pub, just for their barely concealed contempt for Charles’s repeated request for samplers. Try doing that in a Sam Smiths pub with Sir Humphrey standing there mate !
Instead, I’m using equally spurious logic to make the award to the King Charles II after my return visit there on Monday.
The KC2 had that rarest of things on Monday night- a cheerful school teacher. It’s also pubby, despite being gorgeous, and being open on Monday evening gets it a bonus point.
I have an uncertain relationship with Craddocks, whose Duke William is distinctly variable on beer quality. But this joint venture with Bridgnorth and Thirsty Brewers (not sure what happened to Sadler’s) seems to present their beers at their peak.
Your views on those pump clip bubbles from Bridgnorth would be welcome.
We had the King’s Escape and the one called “Hop something” that’s hidden behind that flapping menu. NBSS 3.5 for both of those on a Monday night.
Apart from beer quality, you might well wonder why we so highly rated a pub which flaunts history, has more beers on than I’d consider credible, and where folk flap their menus.
I’ve no idea. It just felt like a great place to sit, chat and drink beer. And it’s as gorgeous inside as out, a bit like a certain pub 25 miles south-west of here. What seemed to be a short menu of pies and puddings certainly helps this feel less restaurant than it might.
Charles may have sampler issues, but he’ll strike up a conversation with anyone. Our chatty young teacher friend from Shrewsbury was on the Robinsons Cider, which I’d last seen in Tenbury Wells, clearly a place of pilgrimage for this fan. I like the Robinsons styling, though it’s not an obvious choice.
We shared a pint of Flagon and a comparison of the Gay Meadow with it’s meccano replacement. The Flagon was great, cool but much less fizzy than it’s better known rivals. A shame the wonderful Vaults sells Thatchers, decent as that is.
Really unwise to drink it after ale though.
retiredmartin 
It’s a funny old world! We occasionally visit Worcester on the boat (last time in 2013) and we always head for the Swan with Two Nicks and I’m fairly sure that we’ve never ventured into the King’s Charles II even though it is next door as your photo shows. (Ironically, last time we were in the Swan, there were a group of ‘Royalists’ in the pub, presumably relaxing after an afternoon’s re-enactment.)
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To be fair I’d have picked the Swan ovr the KC II which looks more upmarket than it is, but then I use the Beer Guide Pub. Re-enactments – mmm.
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Looks very much like my kind of pub judging by the pics – I especially like the room with the copper kettle and lounge carpet. The bubble on the handpump ? Good idea, though I have never seen them anywhere else before – makes a change from small jam-jars.
Re-enactment. Seen only one before, a Civil War do at Beeston Castle in Cheshire. It was surprisingly good to be honest… Going totally off the ball here, but when I was at school we had an outing through the local woods and someone in the class actually found a cannon ball, which was dug up and donated to the local museum.. Apparently Prince Ruperts` cavalry were trounced nearby at the Battle of Wigan Lane.
Sorry for the digression Martin…;-)
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Not at all Michael, that’s the sort of detail that we like here (and on the BRAPA site if you haven’t been there yet).
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Thanks. Thinking about it, my ramblings are topical to your post – King Charles II and all that (by the way, the Battle of Wigan Lane was the last armed conflict in the Civil War – there I go again !).
Yes I have recently finished reading ALL the BRAPA posts, and thereby came to discover your Blog, which I am also reading from the beginning (I am up to the Brigg trip). Both your Blogs are very entertaining, interesting, and helpful. Inspirational even !
Cheers.
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I was in Worcester this weekend and managed to visit all the central GBG pubs and the micro. All pretty good, the Plough was busier than the King Charles on Sat night, but it was a shame to leave both. You’ve summed it up nicely. My next weekend away is Colchester where I face a bigger challenge…!
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Thanks for that.
Colchester consistent, Victoria excellent. I did a post on town on 14 Dec 15 if of any use.
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The trouble with re-enactments is that nobody actually dies. If they were to do it as accurately as historical records allow and kill the correct people in the correct manner, they would be a lot more realistic than people getting a tap with a knife with a rubber bung on the end then falling down in the manner of Shane Long.
The bubble is just a posh jam jar. The beer won’t look at its best unless replaced regularly. They’d be better off providing information on the pump clip or just calling the beer, for example, Bridgnorth Best Bitter.
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In your own way, you are a pub genius. Of course pump clips should just be a lot better and say what the beer is like.
Your first idea is more controversial, I feel.
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This posting likely increased the pub traffic in Worcester. Really beautiful pictures of a great looking pub.
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The mistake I made when I visited Worcester was not visiting the King Charles II. I went from the Plough to the Firefly. The landlord at the Firefly recommended it, but I chose to go in the direction of the train station and visit the Dragon Inn before heading back to Ledbury. I am sure Dave and I will go there at some point.
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